


Destinies Intertwined by Fate

by dragonfly_moonlight



Category: Star Ocean: Till the End of Time
Genre: Alternate Universe/Alternate Reality, Angst, Drama, F/M, Graphic Sex, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Other, Science-Fiction/Fantasy, Torture, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2010-10-09
Updated: 2013-09-11
Packaged: 2017-10-12 13:16:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 29,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/125211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonfly_moonlight/pseuds/dragonfly_moonlight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For Fayt Leingod and Luther Lansfeld, the end of the final battle is only the beginning. Worlds collide as the rebuilding begins.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Star Ocean 3 or the characters from the game. They belong to Square Enix and Tri-Ace. I do not profit from the writing of this story. All OCs presented within belong to me, and I will protect them zealously from any and all unauthorized use. Please ask me first before writing them into your stories. Thank you.
> 
> Author's Note: Started this for NaNoWriMo last year.

"I c-can't believe it . . . Defeated by data! This . . . this can't be happening! Why? Why am I being deleted?"

Luther's pained cry echoed throughout the Workspace, and he collapsed to his knees. Fayt watched the now former Creator as a bright, white light enveloped him. The light looked as if its glow started from within Luther's center. It stretched outwards both in size and its intensity. Fayt had to cover his eyes with his arm to protect them from the light's intensity.

Little good it did him. The light pierced through his arm painfully, blinding him. His eyes watered like he looked directly at the sun. Luther let out another pained wail, though Fayt could not hear any coherent words coming from the man. Pain blossomed in his chest as he listened to Luther, and his feet moved towards the man. He had to reach the Creator, to ease his pain and his suffering. Too many had already died, and Fayt knew in his heart he did not want the man to die. The anger and the hatred needed to end, and the blue-haired teen decided he would be the one to bring about those much needed changes.

The light dissipated as quickly as it appeared. It took a moment for Fayt to be able to see clearly again, but, when he could, he, his friends, and Blair were the only ones left standing in the Workspace. All were looking around for Luther, bewildered and frightened expressions on their faces. For all anyone knew, Luther still remained in the Workspace, hiding and waiting for a chance to strike back at them and kill them as he had promised to do.

Fayt, too, felt bewildered and a little afraid, but he also felt a strange sensation of . . . emptiness. It threatened to swallow him whole. This was not how he had wanted the confrontation with Luther to end. He wanted to talk with the man, to reason with him, and to find a peaceful resolution to the Executioners. Fayt believed Luther possessed a logical, rational side, but it had not shown itself when they arrived. Still, he kept hoping.

His hopes were dashed, as they had been of late, and Fayt blamed himself for everything that had gone wrong. After all, in his mind, if he did not have the powers his father had given him, the Vendeeni would not have attacked Hyda IV. The aquatic aliens would not have chased him across the galaxy. People would not have died. His father would not be dead, shot in the back to protect him from the Vendeeni. Now Luther was gone, quite possibly dead. Already, his words were starting to come back to haunt Fayt.

_"Data . . . you are nothing more than data, and data should behave as such."_

'Data . . . I'm nothing more than data . . . is that even true? How can it be true?' he wondered as he stared at the clocks still ticking within the Workspace. 'I can see. I can feel all sorts of things. We evolved beyond being artificial beings . . . we're real . . . we can feel and think for ourselves. Luther was wrong. We're not just data. We're not just a bunch of zeroes and ones! We can't be! We're more than codes!'

As he stared at the clocks, the sensation of emptiness faded. Guilt and self-loathing replaced the emptiness. If he and his friends were nothing more than data, Luther performed a fantastic job in creating living entities. Fayt saw several of their faces in his mind's eyes. He saw people on the beaches of Hyda IV, laughing and smiling as they swam in clear, beautiful blue waters. Then they were running for their lives as blasts from the Vendeeni ships rained down on the glistening, white sands, claiming the lives of many as they tried to flee. He had not been on the beaches at the time of the attack, but he still imagined such horrendous things all the same.

Those faces were replaced by the Glyphian Inquisitioner's face, and Fayt remembered how the man's hot breath ghosted along his neck, and his hands traveling along his sides. Kitten. The Glyphian called him his kitten, and he pressed too close for Fayt's comfort. He shivered, feeling those beefy hands touching him and doing more than just touching. He wanted to vomit from those memories, and he tried to think of something else, something . . . happier. Dion and Ameena's faces replaced the Inquisitioner in his mind. What stuck with Fayt was how they smiled when he first met them. He had not met them at the same time, but they were still smiling. They were filled with hope of seeing each other again, and it happened in front of Fayt. They were meant to be together, to be happy and to be wed to each other, but yet they were dead. They died within moments of each other. They were dead because he, Cliff, and Mirage crash-landed on Elicoor II, and the Vendeeni followed them there. Many other Elicoorians died that day as well, and Fayt remembered how they met their ends all too well.

Finally, there was his father and their last moments together. His death hurt the worse. Biwig wanted Fayt dead. It should have been him laying on the ground, grasping for his last breath, but that had not been his fate. His father was simply a bonus for the commander. The fight to continue living and fighting then ensued. In that moment, everything he endured, everything he lived through – the deaths, the destruction, and the terrible and agonizing sense of loss – overwhelmed him, and Fayt fought himself, his emotions, to remain standing. He found it hard to breathe as he stood there, staring at the clocks, Luther nowhere in sight to see him suffering so.

'He's probably laughing at me now, wherever he is,' Fayt mused, his entire demeanor and attitude changing. He could not even look at his friends, the ones who stood by him through the most of the worst of times. Footsteps sounded behind him, and he didn't need to see Cliff's approach to identify the Klausian walking towards him – the man was built like a tank and walked around like one as well. He did not want to look at his friends. He did not want to see their expressions of triumph, could not bear to their faces filled with joy. What had they truly won? The right to exist? That was a given, but what had they lost, truly lost? For him, this was not a time to celebrate. They needed to heal, _he_ needed to heal, and he couldn't do that with his guilt crushing his soul.

His chest ached, and he inhaled a deep breath. Everything was painful, so painful, and he couldn't think, couldn't focus. Why? Why did saving Luther mean so much to him?

"Hey, you don't look so good," Cliff said. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Fayt mumbled. He did not avert his gaze from the clocks. He did not want to meet Cliff's eyes, and he definitely did not want anyone to see him suffering. If they did, he knew they would try to assure him that nothing about the situation was his fault. They would attempt to convince him he was not to blame for the actions of the Vendeeni or for the numerous deaths they had caused.

Undoubtedly, they would tell him Luther was ultimately the one to blame. If he had not issued his proclamation of death, his parents would not have felt the need to perform forbidden research on their son, and on Maria and Sophia. If Luther had not issued that proclamation to his parents and their research team, the Vendeeni never would have attacked Hyda IV in an effort to get their hands on Fayt and his family. Nothing, they would tell him, about any of this was his fault. If he listened long enough, he would believe their lies.

Fayt did not want that. He did not believe he was blameless. After all, if he did not have his powers, if he had not traveled with his parents to Hyda IV, the Vendeeni never would have attacked, and thousands of people would still be alive.

"You don't look fine," Cliff remarked.

"I said I'm fine," Fayt snapped. He immediately stepped away from the Klausian man and headed for the Workspace's doors. He needed to leave, to get away as quickly as he could before he lost his nerve, his temper, and any control he had left on his emotions. Hands still touched him, hands he could not see any more. Faces haunted him, faces of the dead and his father's face. By this time, the rest of his friends had gathered around him, watching him with concern. Sophia's fingers grazed his shoulders before he pulled away from her. "I need to go."

"Go?" Maria inquired. "Go where? Fayt, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I need to go."

His feet were moving before Fayt could realize it, before he could stop himself. Before anyone could say anything more to him, he was running out the tall doors to the Workspace. He could hardly see where he was going as he ran. Tears he tried ignoring blinded him as he sought his escape. His entire body shook as he fled, and his lungs burned from the lack of oxygen. Still, he never stopped running. He did not think he ever would, either.

How long he ran, Fayt did not know, and he did not care, but he finally stopped. He ached from his head to his toes. His stomach continued to do flips and threatened to leave him vomiting, and he could not catch his breath. Tears still blinded him, and he rocked back and forth in an effort to alleviate both his emotional and physical pains. He moaned and he sobbed, but nothing helped.

When his vision cleared and he could draw a steady breath, Fayt noticed tall trees surrounding him. They were unlike any trees he had seen throughout his adventures. Many of them possessed a grayish-silver bark, smooth in appearance with pale green leaves that were half the size of his palms. Sunlight peered through the canopy above him, but it was not enough to warm and ward away the chill creeping over his body. He started to shiver as he sat there, taking as much in of his surroundings as he could. Lush, green grass tickled the tips of his fingers, but Fayt could no longer muster the strength to move.

It turned out he did not need to do anything. His arrival to . . . wherever he was had not gone unnoticed by the local population. Horses approached, and Fayt turned his head in the direction from which they were coming. Several minutes later, two of the animals halted a few feet in front of him, and their riders dismounted. They wore dark green cloaks and hoods over their heads, dark brown pants, and carried axes and swords at their sides. From under their hoods, Fayt saw their eyes glowing as they gazed at him. The first of the riders continued to approach him, drawing the blade at his side.

"Who are you?" the person demanded. The voice was that of a man, a light tenor with a slightly effeminate quality. He stopped an inch or so away from Fayt, the tip of his blade touching the middle of his throat. He threw back his hood, revealing his elongated and pointed ears. The stranger reminded Fayt of an Elf from a book he once read. "And where are you from?"

Fayt inhaled a deep yet shaky breath. He doubted his abilities to speak at the moment. He didn't trust himself to say anything. He also knew he would not care if this strange person decided to kill him right away for not answering the question. His guilt and his sorrow refused to leave him, and Fayt wanted nothing more than to forget everything he endured in the last six months or so. The Elf standing above him did not waver in either his gaze or in the way he held his sword.

"Fayt," he finally managed to croak out. His voice sounded raspy to his hearing, raspy and weak. "My name is Fayt, and I'm not from around here."

"That is hardly a worthy answer," the Elf replied, scowling. He stared hard at Fayt, his sword never wavering. A whisper in the teen's mind wished the stranger would just end his life without hesitation. Then the Elf let out a sigh of resignation and shook his head. "Yet it is a common tale as of late. War brews within these lands, and many are forced to seek refuge. You appear to be one such soul. Come . . . we will aide you in whatever we can."

The Elf sheathed his sword, and his partner, another Elf, lifted Fayt to his feet and onto one of the horses. In a matter of seconds, they were galloping in the direction from which they came, but Fayt paid no attention. His eyes felt heavy and his soul weary. Sleep called to him, and he did not even bother to resist. Fayt closed his eyes . . .


	2. Chapter 1 - Beginning the Search For Luther and Fayt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter contains a lemon. You are adequately warned.

_Six months later . . ._

Maria felt a slightly contented sigh escape her, and her eyes closed partway. Strong hands glided over the bare portions of her flesh, the touches as light and as gentle as a feather. Lieber's body felt wonderfully and delightfully and sensually warm against her body, his breath ghosting along the length of her neck, and his touch ignited fires of passion she never knew could exist within one person. Lieber had gone out of his way for this particular moment, the consummation of their relationship where she submitted to him for a single night, by decorating her quarters – their shared quarters now – with dozens upon dozens of red candles as well as dozens and dozens of red and pink roses. He even added a few oil burners filled with a rose oil essence for an olfactory effect, nearly drowning her senses with visions and scents of red and roses. Maria's mind, when she first saw the amount of candles and flowers in her quarters, refused to comprehend everything she was seeing. Her little sanctuary aboard _The Diplo_ often felt cluttered since she and Lieber now shared the room, as if all four of the walls were closing in on her, threatening to squish and smother her. Maria said nothing about the amount of flowers and candles and the fragrance of roses in the air. Lieber wanted to impress her, to give her something no one else had ever thought to give her, and it touched her heart to know he cared so much. To prove he was serious about their relationship and how he was willing to do anything for her, her lover changed the linens on their bed, replacing micro cotton polyester sheets and blankets with red silk sheets with an amethyst-coloured embroidery and a deep violet down feather comforter, a fact Lieber seemed to be particularly proud of, as if no one else would ever think of doing such a thing for Maria. Lieber then pressed a button on her computer console, the silence of the room and surprise ended with the sounds of a piano playing a romantic melody, and he started to kiss her, a little tentative at first despite the number of times they had kissed during the course of their relationship, but he started to become bolder with each kiss. His tongue often flicked out, gliding along her lips before delving into the recesses of her mouth, caressing its roof and dancing with her tongue.

As they kissed each other, Lieber started to touch her, to tug in a gentle manner at her clothing. Maria found herself touching Lieber in return and tugging at his clothing the way he tugged at hers, the material slipping away to reveal muscular and well-defined, well-toned, smooth to the touch flesh under the tips of her fingers. She never truly understood how wonderful physical contact could feel, though she had imagined a thing or two about intimacy since her sixteenth birthday, after she learned the truth about her powers and the truth about Fayt Leingod. Of course, she often envisioned herself enjoying sexual activities with her fellow victim of forbidden scientific research and fantasizing of dominating Fayt the way Lieber allowed her to dominate him in the bedroom. Even at the tender and yet painful age of sixteen, Maria knew she would never submit very often to any man and allow him to do whatever he wanted with her. She was not a doll, and she was not a trophy. She would be in control at all times. The only time she would submit was when she was ready to bear a child and even then she would remain in control, whether her partner (Fayt) liked the idea or if he did not like the idea. She was no servant. She was no follower. She was the leader, and leaders needed to behave as such.

The moment she thought of Fayt, what her fantasies were, and how things had not turned out as she had hoped and planned for her life, Maria refrained letting out a sigh. Indeed, she pushed every thought of Fayt, every fantasy she ever had of him, out of her mind. She lamented the fact she would never know what her relationship with Fayt would be like, but, at the same time, Maria refused to let the what-ifs and the could-have-beens and the should-have-beens dominate her life. A part of her doubted Fayt would ever let her dominate him. Most men were peculiar about penetration and what a woman's role in a relationship was supposed to be. Fayt was raised in a traditional home from the time of his birth until the Vendeeni attack on Hyda IV. He probably possessed those traditional notions of a woman's role due to his upbringing, and Maria found the thought to be disturbing at best.

A well placed kiss to her throat brought Maria back to the present, back to the _fact_ she and Lieber were about to engage in sexual intercourse where she was finally going to allow someone to penetrate her, and she finally let out another contented little sigh. Already she ached with need, whimpered from the intensity of her desire, though she doubted her ability to go through with Lieber entering her body with his manhood. Her right hand grasped his cock, stroking it with varying degrees of gentleness and roughness until it was a thickened, hardened rod of steely flesh, pre-cum oozing from its tip. Maria knew what Lieber liked when it came to arousing him. She learned within the first month of their relationship, and she utilized the information to her (and his) advantage every time. More clothing fell to the floor, revealing her rounded and perky breasts and the firmness of his buttocks. They were finally completely naked, and the two of them stretched out on her bed, Lieber laying on top of her, his entire body quivering from need and desire. Maria spread her legs to accommodate him, his cock resting snugly against her pleasure zone. His chest felt like it was searing her breasts, the contact arousing her even more.

They were not small to the point where she appeared flat chested, her breasts, nor were they overly large. Lieber often told her they were the right size. He liked how he could hold each one in his hands and work them in the way he felt they needed to be worked, which meant more stimulation and pleasure for Maria. Already, his hands were busy, one with her breasts, teasing her dark-brown nipples into a state of painful firmness and the other within her folds. All thoughts of Fayt and whether or not she could allow Lieber to enter her body were finally gone as Maria focused on the pleasure she was receiving from Lieber, her body undulating with each tiny little caress until an orgasm shook her body and she cried out. His mouth trailed from her throat to her unattended breast, where he licked the nub and worshipped it before he took her breast in its entirety into his mouth, suckling and loving her breast before moving to the other, re-stimulating her arousal all over again. He treated her breasts as though the mounds were a source of nourishment for him, and Maria moaned from Lieber's ministrations. His cock continued to throb with life in her hands, and he shifted a little, the head brushing against her opening. Maria shivered in anticipation as she felt him there, her breath hitching in her chest as the head of his cock started to push its way into her.

It was an unusual sensation for Maria, to feel her lover's length piercing her little by little, retracting a half-inch for every inch delved. Lieber's cock stretched her, filled her, creating a slightly painful pressure in her vagina she had never experienced before, and Maria wanted nothing more than to reverse their roles so he was laying underneath her and she could gaze upon his face as they rode each other towards a mutual but yet fiery and intense climax. She refrained from rolling them around, though, and she waited with a small amount of impatience as Lieber slowly sheathed himself within her. The truth was, for the first time since their relationship went from commander-follower to lovers and since the first time they engaged in physical intimacy, she wanted him to go as deep as he could, to give her the experience she knew other women received from their boyfriends and husbands. His cock pulsed within her, against the flesh hidden from the rest of the world, and it left her breathless. It also brushed against something within her, a resistance of some kind, but it gave way almost immediately as his cock continued its journey.

Finally, Maria sensed Lieber's length completely within her body. His balls were pressed against the flesh of her buttocks, tickling her ever so slightly as he rested a moment. His breathing was harsh and heavy, and his body trembled. Maria's body also trembled as they lay there for a moment, simply sensing and feeling the other's presence on a more intimate, baser level. Then their lips met in a fiery exchange of passion, and Lieber withdrew a little from her before thrusting into her again. Their bodies rocked together in a familiar rhythm as Maria arched to meet Lieber with every stroke of his cock, his balls slapping against her butt cheeks every time. His hands grasped her buttocks, and her arms wrapped around his torso. The scent of their coupling filled the air, mingling with the rose oil and creating an aromatic aphrodisiac for Maria. The sounds of their heavy breathing and moaning, of flesh slapping against flesh in a frenzied sexual moment, mixed with the playing of the piano, adding notes and melodies never heard before to Maria. More than once her vision blurred, and Maria saw red and black spots dancing before her as she felt her orgasms overtaking her. As soon as one orgasm shook her body and had her crying out his name, her lover shifted a little as he pounded his cock into her, rubbing along the right location to ensure her pleasure did not end. Lieber definitely knew how to please her, how to keep her stimulated as he continued undulate in her, and Maria knew she should be thankful for his thoughtfulness.

However, Maria's thoughts were not on what she should feel towards Lieber but on receiving more gratification from her lover until neither of them could endure any more. Lieber's body stiffened, tighter than what it already was, and Maria sensed his climax a second before he thrust into her one final time. She felt his semen coating her insides, filling her the same way his cock had filled her, and she squirmed with her own climax as he reached his release. Their bodies were coated in sweat and more than hot as both of them collapsed into the bed, spent and sated from their lovemaking. Lieber lay on top of Maria for a minute or so after his orgasm, his flaccid cock still nestled within her body as their breathing evened out and became steadier. His arms remained around her body, and his face lay buried in the crook of her neck. Fluids trickled from their bodies and onto the sheets, creating an unusual sensation for Maria. She thought nothing of the fact they had not used some kind of protection to prevent her from becoming pregnant. Too many other thoughts demanded her attention at that moment, and she felt her body cooling.

"I love you, Maria," he whispered. "I love you so much. You have no idea of how much you mean to me. Thank you . . . thank you for giving me a chance. I swear to you I will never leave you and I will never disappoint you. Ever."

The words Lieber spoke to her were nothing unusual. He always said such things to her when they were finished with their physical gratifications. Hell, he confessed his love to her even when they were not riding each other the way surfers like to ride the waves of the oceans. Maria did not doubt his words for a single moment. He confessed his love for her, something she had always suspected about him, shortly after the defeat of Luther Lansfeld, the Owner of Sphere 211 and the Creator of their world and universe, and Lieber swore to her he would do anything and everything he could to prove his love for her. With Fayt's disappearance within moments of Luther's defeat dashing her hopes and dreams for her life, Maria found herself wanting someone who would do exactly as Lieber promised her he would do for her.

"I know," Maria replied. "I . . . love you, too, Lieber."

In her own way, Maria knew she loved Lieber as she had just told him she did. After all, any man who bent over and allowed himself to be repeatedly taken by a woman wearing a vibrator was worth keeping, in her estimation. Lieber not only allowed Maria to peg him, as it were, but he also begged her to take him in such a manner. He knew it was one of the only ways he could please her. He understood she was the one to dominate, not be dominated, and Maria not only loved Lieber for his understanding, she was grateful for it as well, which had led to this one time where he could dominate her in bed instead of the other way around. It just did not stop her from wondering every now and again what could have been if Fayt had not disappeared.

Lieber shifted himself in that moment, distracting Maria yet again, and he withdrew from her body. With a soft, barely audible sigh of relief, Maria closed her eyes and brought the sheets up higher to cover her chest. She felt more than a little hungry from having sex with Lieber, and she wanted to rest for a little while as well before she resumed her duties on the bridge of _The Diplo_.

There was a time when Maria had considered leaving Quark. The final battle with Luther Lansfeld was over, and their world, what those in the four-dimensional realm referred to as the Eternal Sphere, was safe from harm and destruction at the blond-haired man's hands. Or was it his fingers? He certainly could type faster than what Maria could, if how quickly he typed in the delete commands was any kind of an indication, and Cliff often referred to her as the second fastest typist in the universe. Either way, the Eternal Sphere (the name lodged itself into her brain and refused to leave) was safe from Luther Lansfeld, programmer genius extraordinaire and clinically insane Creator. Her job with her powers of Alteration was done. No one needed her to command Quark any longer, and it was only a matter of time before the various universe organizations, such as the Pangalactic Federation for example, to learn of her powers of Alteration. They would seek her out, use whatever measures they deemed necessary to obtain her, and abuse what she originally saw as a curse (and now saw as a gift) given to her by Professor Robert Leingod and his research team. Maria knew the potential was there for such an instance to happen. Everything that had happened to Fayt, Robert Leingod's only child, his son, was proof not everyone in the universe could be trusted with such a secret. The last thing Maria wanted to do was put her crew, her friends, at risk simply because she could not let go of her leadership status.

Then Lieber approached her just as she was preparing to say good-bye to the crew of _The Diplo_ , to Quark, and then she intended to disappear the same way Fayt disappeared. Well, she intended to try and disappear the same way Fayt disappeared. No one knew precisely how he managed to leave Luther's Workspace and through the Firewall as quickly as he had done so. Hell, no one knew how he managed to leave Elicoor II entirely. When they finally left Luther's Workspace and searched everywhere in the Spiral Tower and the Firewall, they walked through the Ancient Ruins of Mosel and journeyed through the Mosel Desert, hours and days ticking by them at an agonizingly fast rate. They took their time during their journey, though, searching for the now wayward embodiment of Destruction, finding relief when they reached the Passage of Parchment and Plenty and resting in Surferio and the trading town of Peterny when they reached the villages. Several days later, they stepped onto the lush green grass of the Irisa Fields, hoping to see some kind of evidence Fayt had at least stopped for a moment. Maria had ordered Marietta to look for any signs of Fayt's whereabouts on Elicoor II the moment they stepped into the dry desert heat of Mosel. It was only when they were walking along the grass and moss covered stone road to the Sacred City of Aquios that Marietta contacted Maria with the news. Fayt was nowhere on Elicoor II, and no one possessed any kind of recollection of how he managed to leave. _The Diplo_ had been in Elicoor II's orbit the entire time. No ships appeared during their journey back to Aquaria, and no one in Surferio and Peterny saw Fayt. It was as if Professor Leingod's son never existed at all, and Maria often found herself wondering how Fayt managed to pull off such a magnificent and mind-boggling disappearing trick. She wanted to do the same thing for herself, or at least she had _wanted_ to do the same thing for herself until Lieber approached her.

It was when Lieber approached her, fumbling over his words, trying to tell her that he loved her and always wanted to be with her, that Maria realized she could not leave Quark. She did love commanding others, though she knew she never abused her powers – there were many examples of such things happening in the Pangalactic Federation and Maria reminded herself of such people when she felt herself overstepping her bounds with her crew. The last thing she desired to do was hurt anyone because she was being stupid and stubborn and prideful – and it started to feel wrong to want to leave the same way Fayt did. She did not want to be seen as shirking her responsibilities to her crew and to the Quark organization. The more she thought about it in those few moments following Lieber's confession, the more Maria believed she had nothing to fear should the rest of the universe learn of her powers of Alteration. Even though she truly disliked the notion and would never allow it to happen, her members of crew would gladly lay down their lives for her in order to protect her from anyone who meant to do her harm. The members of Quark knew the dangers of her staying with them. They knew of the risks, and they accepted the risks. It was a much better option than traveling to some unsuspecting planet where no one knew or had heard of her and putting the inhabitants in danger. It had happened to Fayt on Hyda IV and Elicoor II with the Vendeeni chasing after him. According to Cliff, her counterpart (as she saw him) never truly recovered over the shock of learning the attacks on Hyda IV and Elicoor II by the Vendeeni were because the shark-like creatures were chasing after him due to his powers. Thousands of people were either injured or died in those attacks, and Fayt, the clueless yet noble person he was, blamed himself for those injured or dead. He, according to Cliff and Mirage, especially took the deaths of an Ameena Leffeld and Dion Landers the hardest, so much so he had talked of turning himself over to the Vendeeni just so they would leave Elicoor II alone. Maria did not intend to put herself through such a heart-wrenching and mind-breaking ordeal, and she was grateful Lieber had approached her, fumbling over his words as he confessed how he felt towards her to her. It kept her from making a mistake she knew she would never be able to live with, and she resumed command of Quark and _The Diplo_ within a matter of five minutes. She only wished she could have answers to some of her what-ifs. What if Fayt had not disappeared? Would they be in a relationship instead of her being with Lieber? Maria knew Fayt had feelings for his childhood friend Sophia, but she did not know what kind of feelings they were or if they could have blossomed into a relationship. There just were too many questions left unanswered, and Maria did not like how many questions were still floating around in her mind with no answers to offer her some kind of relief.

"Are you okay, Maria?" Lieber inquired. She glanced at him to find him staring at her and frowning a little, his expression definitely one of concern. Maria smiled at him, hoping to ease whatever worries and doubts he was entertaining about their relationship. For the most part, Maria possessed no regrets for involving herself with Lieber. He had given everything she could have ever wanted and desired in a partner and more.

"I'm fine, Lieber," she said in a reassuring tone of voice. "I've just . . . got a lot on my mind."

It was not too far from the truth, either, what she had just told Lieber. In the six months since Luther's defeat, the worlds of the Eternal Sphere were recovering from the attacks by the Executioners and Proclaimers at a relatively steady rate. What surprised Maria the most by the recovery acts were the reappearances of the Aldian and Vendeeni empires. From what she remembered of the initial attacks, the Aldian and Vendeeni home worlds were completely destroyed by Luther in his efforts to keep his "data" from evolving beyond the capabilities of what the four-dimensional beings currently possessed. To hear they were still around and gaining as much ground in rebuilding their worlds and empires as the Pangalactic Federation and Quark were in their efforts astounded Maria. The fact there were survivors from Aldian and Vendeen also meant there was still a potential for war to still brew between Aldian and the Federation as well as the Federation and Vendeen. It was the last thing anyone in the Eternal Sphere needed, more heartache and despair from people who could not agree to leave each other alone and respect the wishes to either not join or to join one leading military force or another. Because no one wanted another war close on the heels of Luther's attacks, Quark had insisted upon a meeting with delegates from the Pangalactic Federation, Aldian, and Vendeen. It had taken a few weeks of e-mailed conversations, some face-to-face confrontations with the leaders from the Pangalactic Federation, Aldian, and Vendeen, but Quark finally managed to arrange the much required meeting of the delegates. Maria was to conduct the meeting in a neutral location agreed upon by Quark, the Pangalactic Federation, the Aldian Empire, and the Vendeeni Empire. She had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach the meetings and negotiations were not going to proceed in a fashion that would benefit the people of the Eternal Sphere, which was why she had wanted a few moments alone with Lieber. He could distract her from her troublesome thoughts, which was something she felt she truly needed before she dived headfirst into a room filled with hotheaded and sharp-tongued men and women determined to satisfy their needs before their needs of their people.

Maria glanced at her clock, knowing soon she and Lieber would need to eat a little something as quickly as they could, and then clean themselves and head for the bridge of _The Diplo_. The time for the meeting of the minds was almost upon her and her crew, and Maria wanted to ensure everything would run as smoothly as it possibly could run. There were ground rules she needed to cover with the representatives from the Pangalactic Federation, Aldian, and Vendeen, rules everyone needed to obey in order to avoid all hell from breaking loose throughout their universe.

"That's understandable," Lieber murmured. He leaned towards her, placing a kiss upon her shoulder. His arm slid in a light and loving caress across her abdomen, and he snuggled close to her. Maria noticed he liked to hold her a lot. Cuddling and kissing were also among his favourite things to do with her. "The universe just likes to heap a lot onto your shoulders. It isn't right and it isn't fair, but I understand that someone needs to step up and be responsible. You're always doing that for people, whether you truly need to or not."

"You sound like you don't like the idea," Maria remarked.

"I don't," Lieber answered. "At least, I don't like the idea of you doing this without someone else besides me and Quark to assist you. Why couldn't those . . . others remain with you? You can't keep this up, Maria. I'm afraid it's going to wear you out."

"If you're referring to Fayt and Sophia, they have their reasons for not being here," Maria answered, pushing herself into a sitting position. "Sophia was still a high school student when everything happened. It isn't fair to ask her to give up her education and her family when no one knows about her powers. She still has her parents. I don't, anymore, and I would never ask her to give up the one thing I never had."

"That's quite kind of you," Lieber commented, his frown turning into a slight smile. It was a smile of love and admiration. "And I can understand why you wouldn't ask Sophia Esteed to journey with you. But Fayt . . . no one knows where he's disappeared to or why, even. It's like he's afraid to take responsibility for his father's actions or to even help out with the chaos and destruction that's happened."

"I thought you didn't like Fayt," she murmured.

"I don't like him," Lieber replied with all honesty, "and I never will. However, that doesn't mean I think he should be able to skip out on everyone who cares about him. I mean, no one's heard a thing about him or where he's at since the Creator's demise. It's irresponsible of him, in my opinion. What reasons does he possibly possess for leaving as he did? I really think he should be here, helping his friends out as much as he can and letting them help him with whatever he's dealing with, you know? There are no legitimate reasons for him being so stubborn and prideful as he's obviously being right now. He should know how much he's cared for, by his friends and by his family."

Maria said nothing to what Lieber had just confessed to her. There was nothing she _could_ say in response. To an extent, her lover was accurate in his thoughts and in his beliefs regarding Fayt Leingod. As far as anyone knew, there were no reasons acceptable enough for Fayt to simply disappear and leave his friends and remaining family wondering where he was staying and if he was still in good health. Whatever thoughts and emotions plagued the blue-haired young man, he should have known his friends would assist him through emotional and mental dark times. If he took off to prevent the likes of the Aldian and Vendeeni Empires from capturing him and using him for their own nefarious purposes, Maria understood to an extent. She also knew she would have offered Fayt whatever protection was in her power to offer and to give.

Still, no one truly knew the reasons for Fayt leaving so suddenly and so unexpectedly as he had done those six months ago. Until he resurfaced or some galactic super power like the Pangalactic Federation or Quark found him, no one could ask the young man his reasons. Maria exhaled a soft breath and slid her legs out from underneath the cover of the satin sheets. Fortunately for her when Lieber moved to one side, he moved to the side closest to the wall. Her feet touched the cool, metal floor, and Lieber spoke again.

"You're thinking I shouldn't be so rash in judging him, aren't you?" he asked. He, too, let out a soft breath. "I know I shouldn't, but sometimes it's so hard not to judge him. He took off without saying a word to anyone as to why. From what you told me, he only said he needed to go and then he was gone without a single trace. Personally, I'd like to know how he got off of Elicoor the way he did. It still baffles me to this day, you know what I mean?"

"I certainly do," Maria murmured, rising to her feet. With the red satin sheet still wrapped around her slender frame, she headed for her shower. She heard more than she saw Lieber following her, knowing he wanted to join her. Not that she minded him joining her in the shower. Some of their best moments were in the shower, the water hot and steam filling the air.

They had just reached the door to Maria's private bathroom (each crew member's room had a bathroom, mostly to avoid arguments over who needed to use the facilities first over another) when the intercom came to life. Over the private speaker, they heard Marietta's voice.

 _"Captain,"_ she said, _"we're nearing our rendezvous point with the delegates from the Pangalactic Federation, Aldian, and Vendeen."_

"Thank you, Marietta," Maria said. "Are we the first ones here?"

 _"It looks like it, Captain,"_ Marietta replied. _"Shall I inform you if anyone else arrives? I know you're a bit . . . busy right now."_

"That won't be necessary," Maria answered. "I'll be on the bridge in the next twenty minutes. Thanks, Marietta."

 _"Roger that, Captain. See you in twenty minutes."_

The intercom clicked out, and Maria stepped into her bathroom with Lieber right behind her. As quietly as she could, she inhaled a deep breath. The anxious feeling in the pit of her stomach had returned in full force, roiling around like water over finely polished stones. Before too much longer, she would be standing in a room filled with loud, overbearing, and very demanding delegates of various ages and walks of life. It was not something she was anticipating with the highest of hopes, and, thanks to Lieber's words about Fayt, she found herself longing for her friend's companionship in such a trying and difficult situation.

'Stop it,' she told herself, turning on the water to her shower. 'It won't do you any good to wish for him to be here when it's obvious he can't and wouldn't want to be here in the first place. I've got to do this on my own, whether I like it or not. I'm not his follower, anyway.'

With such thoughts to console her, Maria prepared herself for what promised to be one of the longest meetings in her known universe's history. Fortunately for her, Lieber sensed the bleakness and sourness of her mood, and he did not attempt to seduce or pleasure her as they showered, washing away the scent of sex and sweat from their bodies. A little blood mingled in with the soap and the water, but Maria knew it to be normal. Lieber had bled some after she had taken him their first time together, and so she paid no more attention to it.

When they were done with their shower, both Maria and Lieber dressed quickly. The food replicator had some sandwiches ready for them, and they devoured their simple meal as if they had gone a day or two without eating. Then they were walking out of Maria's quarters and towards the bridge of _The Diplo_ , Maria holding her head high and her back straight. She and Lieber stepped onto the bridge of _The Diplo_ in fifteen minutes instead of the twenty she had told Marietta.

"Are we still the only ones here?" Maria asked as she sat in her chair.

"Negative, Captain," Mirage supplied. "The Pangalactic Federation and Aldian ships have just arrived. It looks the Vendeeni are right behind them." The blonde-haired Klausian woman turned towards Maria, her expression grim. "Are you sure you're ready to deal with this?"

"We don't have much choice, Mirage," Maria said. "If we're going to help keep the peace, we need to be here. Is the transporter ready?"

"That's an affirmative," Cliff supplied. "We're just waiting for our guests to tell us they're ready for us. So who you taking with you down to the planet's surface?"

"I believe you and Mirage will suffice," Maria answered. She refrained from sighing. Though her quickie shower had invigorated her, Maria still felt the faint hints of exhaustion creeping up on her, and she wanted to curl up under the covers of her bed and take a long nap.

'Not now,' she said. 'When the meeting is over. That's when I can take my nap . . . and maybe, just maybe Lieber can give me a massage before I do close my eyes. I love it when he helps me to relax.'

Her thoughts were interrupted by Marietta announcing the arrival of the Vendeeni ship and the incoming transmissions from the Vendeeni, the Aldians, and the Pangalactic Federation. They were preparing to transport their representatives to the planet's surface – the planet itself was called Fendelvia and it lacked, fortunately for Quark and the delegates from the other military super powers, any kind of humanoid habitation – and Maria quickly laid out the ground rules for all of them to follow. Begrudgingly, the leaders of the ships agreed to the terms, and Maria walked to the transporter room.

Five minutes later, Maria sat in a plush yet still distinctively uncomfortable high back chair. Behind her stood Cliff and Mirage. Their expressions were stoic and unreadable, their postures were rigid, and their arms were folded across their chests. Out of everyone in her crew, Mirage and Cliff were the most intimidating, which was why Maria had chosen them to accompany to Fendelvia's surface. Around Maria sat the delegates from the Pangalactic Federation, the Aldian Empire, and the Vendeeni Empire, and already the air felt tense and thick. There was no love lost between the super powers gathered, and Maria knew it. She only hoped things would not become too violent to where lives were lost in the heat of the moment and war spread throughout the universe. When each of the delegates had seated themselves, their guards standing behind the delegates the same way Mirage and Cliff stood behind Maria, the discussions started, and it was the Vendeeni delegate who spoke first.

"We have no need for introductions. We know who we are and why we are here. We Vendeeni are also not going to 'beat around the bush', as you humans like to say," she said. Maria could only guess the shark-like alien was female. There was a feminine quality to her voice that lent to such thoughts, but Maria tried not to let the vocal quality deceive her. In the course of her travels, she had met some men who sounded much like women. "We have but one demand to present to our fellow delegates, and we advise that each of you heed to this request."

"And what is this request?" the delegate from the Pangalactic Federation asked. He sounded a bit miffed by the Vendeeni delegate's attitude, and Maria could not blame him in the least. They were here to talk about borders and peace treaties and how each super power could aid each other during this time of recovery and rebuilding. At least, that was Maria's understanding for that was what Quark wanted to do.

"It is quite simple, really," the Vendeeni said. To Maria, it sounded like she was smirking as she spoke. She could not be sure, though, thanks to the bag-like masks the Vendeeni liked to wear. "All we want is for you to hand over Fayt Leingod to our leaders on Vendeen. Comply with this request, and we shall leave your outposts alone. Do not comply with our request, and we will not hesitate to destroy you."

"That is preposterous!" the Aldian representative declared. "Why in this universe would anyone want to hand over a powerful weapon such as Fayt Leingod over to the likes of you? That would be suicide!"

"And how would it be suicide?" the Vendeeni inquired. As far as names were concerned, Maria found herself drawing a blank, and she wished the Vendeeni delegate had not jumped directly to demands. The protein from her quick meal had yet to kick in, and Maria felt a little light-headed. "It would be far more dangerous for anyone to not comply with our demands. We will not hesitate to wage war to obtain Professor Leingod's son. Can you really afford to take such a chance? Innocent lives will be lost. This you already know. That is why we are here."

"I'm afraid I agree with Tirnosh," the Pangalactic Federation representative said. "It would be more suicidal to hand over Professor Leingod's son to you than it would be to risk war. His powers are unrivaled. You could use him to destroy us and our people. That's the very last thing we want. Min'nah, you said it yourself. We're here to prevent further chaos and confusion in our worlds. We have no guarantees you would not use Fayt's powers against us. It's not a chance I'm willing to take."

"We don't even know where Fayt is," Maria added. "And I couldn't simply hand him over to you, even if we did know where he's hiding. His greatest fear was that he would be seen as a weapon and not as a person. I won't make that fear of his come true for him."

"We think you do know where he's hiding," Min'nah retorted. "You're just saying you don't know where he's at so you don't have to hand him over to us." The Vendeeni delegate leaned back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest. "And the truth of the matter is this, Ms Traydor. Fayt Leingod _is_ a weapon. His father broke every law of the universe when he gave him the powers of Destruction. Because of that, he is a threat to us and to all living in this universe. It is because of his father's rash actions that brought the Creator's wrath upon us. We will not allow it to happen again. Besides, how do we know that Quark or the Pangalactic Federation will not use Fayt's powers against us or the Aldian Empire?"

"Because Fayt is his own person, capable of deciding what he wants to do," Maria said quickly, anger bubbling within her chest and rising to the surface. "To use him in such a manner would break him of his spirit and his will to live, and I will not allow such a thing to happen."

"I don't think _you_ understand, Ms Traydor," Min'nah said. "This isn't up for negotiation. We want Fayt Leingod handed over to us. We know of his powers and what he's truly capable of doing. Do you think we have forgotten about the loss of our ship to his powers? I can guarantee you that we have not forgotten."

"And I don't think you understand what _we're_ saying," Maria replied. "We can't simply hand Fayt over to you. He isn't with us at this moment in time, and I doubt he'll be returning to us in the near future. I'm sure he's not forgotten the death of his father at the hands of Captain Biwig. Do you really think he'll willingly oblige you and simply turn himself over to your tender mercies? Did you ever stop to think about that?"

"As I said, this is non-negotiable, Ms Traydor," the Vendeeni delegate said. "If you wish to avoid war, we require Fayt Leingod. We know he is hidden away somewhere. We're just not sure who is hiding him, if it is you and Quark or the Pangalactic Federation. I suggest that you hand him over as soon as you can."

"And if we don't?" Maria prompted.

"Then we will not hesitate to attack every single Quark and Federation outpost we come across," Min'nah replied. "The choice is yours. Hand Fayt Leingod over to us or suffer the consequences."

* * *

Blair inhaled a deep breath then let it out after holding it for thirty seconds or so, her eyes glued to the monitor in front of her. Six months had passed in the Eternal Sphere, six months of agonizing repairs and sensations of loss for the many worlds, but there was still not much she could do to assist those who had fought against her brother and won their freedoms from his rule. Blair wanted to be of some kind of assistance to the races of the Eternal Sphere, often utilizing her brother's Workspace to find whatever way she could to help. Unfortunately, thanks to Luther's commands during the final battle with Fayt Leingod and his friends, the systems connecting the Eternal Sphere to the residents of the Lost City and Arkives and Gemity were unstable and inaccessible ninety-nine point ninety-five percent of the time. The best she could do was watch and wait for her team to tell her when she could gain better access to the gaming world or at least extend communications to Maria Traydor and her group.

As far as Blair could tell when she did watch the activities of her friends from the alternate reality, the people of the Eternal Sphere really did not require much assistance from her or her team when it came to rebuilding their home worlds and their military strengths. Humans, Klausians, Aldians, and Vendeeni were very resilient and adaptable when adversity appeared and threatened to destroy everything they held dear. If anything, from what information she could gather, the people in the Eternal Sphere were becoming stronger and rebuilding with a fervor that rivaled Luther's passion before he started to lose his mind. It pleased her to see how well the residents of the Eternal Sphere were faring, but there were still some troubles plaguing her heart, her soul, and her mind.

The first thought, and the most troublesome, that worried her was her brother's whereabouts. Since the final battle with Fayt Leingod and his friends, Luther had completely and utterly disappeared without so much of a single trace. His vanishing act enabled Blair to take over the company, Sphere 211, which also allowed her to keep the Eternal Sphere safe from the programmers still loyal to Luther. It meant keeping as many of the connections severed as possible until her team could lock out Azazer, Belzeber, and Berial completely, and keeping the connections severed kept her from contacting Maria Traydor and the organization of Quark. However, for Blair, the benefits of keeping the people of the Eternal Sphere outweighed the disadvantages, and she gladly accepted those benefits any day. Blair just wanted her brother found so he could be brought home and receive the medical treatment that he quite obviously needed. Blair feared his disappearance could mean trouble for anyone unfortunate enough to cross him and anger him so she searched everywhere for her wayward brother. He was nowhere to be found in Arkives, the Lost City, Gemity, or anywhere in the four dimensional world. Even Sphere 211's competitors, those who stood to gain from his disappearance, did not know of nor did they possess the missing Luther Lansfeld. What truly worried and scared Blair was that, if Luther was not in the four dimensional realm as she originally believed, he was in the Eternal Sphere. Her brother was no fool. He could still access his computers from anywhere in the Eternal Sphere and type in the commands he needed to keep his presence hidden. He could also erase any traces of his tampering with no one becoming the wiser for his actions.

When that final battle Fayt and his friends and Luther started, Blair initially believed her brother had projected his likeness into the Eternal Sphere. After all, it was impossible for someone in the four dimensional realm to physically enter any section of the Eternal Sphere. The idea behind the gaming world was to create a place where people could live out their fantasies within the safety of their homes. The Eternal Sphere was designed to be the perfect virtual world. The way Luther had written the codes and programs made it impossible for anyone in either world to actually enter the other world. She could only watch in horror as her brother's bloodied and bruised body disappeared before her eyes, and it was in those final moments, as Fayt stared in mourning at the fallen Creator, almost as broken and defeated as Luther, that Blair realized something was terribly wrong. Somewhere, somehow, the rules Luther had set forth were broken, shattered beyond all recognition, and Blair could not believe her brother had actually entered the Eternal Sphere in order to destroy it. To her, it was still physically impossible for anyone to do be able to do such a thing, but the emotions were no less sickening as she watched, unable to assist either her brother or Fayt and his friends.

However, that was before Professor Robert Leingod and his research team discovered the Time Gate and the way for those in the Eternal Sphere to enter the four dimensional realm. That was before Luther issued his proclamation of doom to the residents of the Milky Way system because of Professor Leingod's research. That was also before Fayt Leingod and his unusual band of friends actually entered the four dimensional realm, scaring many of the residents living in Arkives and injuring many members of security. The small ragtag group of misfits also managed to lay a great world of hurt upon Azazer, Belzeber, and Berial as they fought their way through Sphere 211, only to find Luther had left for his Workspace before they could reach him. They eventually learned they had to travel back to Elicoor II to reach Luther's Workspace, which was now in the Eternal Sphere, but they did not allow the knowledge to deter them. If anything, the knowledge only strengthened each individual's resolve. The small band of friends were determined to stop Luther from causing further damage to the Eternal Sphere, where their homes and their families and their friends were located, but Blair thought she saw something more in Fayt's eyes when she gazed into them.

It was just after he and his friends reached the top of the Sphere 211 building. Everyone but Fayt had already entered the terminals that transported each of them back to the planet Styx. The young, blue-haired man remained a minute longer, and Blair found herself holding one of his hands in both of her hands. The moment their hands touched, she felt the warmth radiating from him. She sensed his silent strength, and she knew he and his friends were no mere artificial intelligent beings. They were not toys or mere programs to be taken lightly. They were living, breathing presences, and any doubts she possessed about defying her brother evaporated like a drop of water in a desert. There was just something terribly, terribly wrong with Fayt. The brief moment their eyes met, Blair saw the darkness and the sadness lurking behind the determination. For someone so young, he harboured many secrets, all of those secrets black and terrifying. His "happiness" and "clueless" behaviour were simply fronts on his part, a way he probably believed he needed to be in order to give his friends the hope and the courage they needed to carry on with their unified quest. It did nothing to quell his inner strength, though Blair doubted Fayt realized just how strong he truly could be under the right circumstances. He reminded her of Luther to an extent, and Blair could not help but smile as Fayt disappeared into the terminal, heading for his home and joining his friends in what they hoped would be the end of their adventures.

 _"Good luck,"_ she had said, her arms folded across her chest. At that time, she truly believed Fayt would be the one to bring Luther back to his senses. The two were very much alike, in both their appearances, their beliefs in what was right and what was wrong, and in their mannerisms. If Luther was not too far gone mentally, he would be at least reasonable and responsive to Fayt Leingod and his requests. Blair believed, even to that very moment, Luther favoured Fayt above all other Eternal Sphere beings. Things had not turned out the way Blair had initially hoped for, and she now was left searching for Luther.

She was also searching for Fayt Leingod. Like Maria Traydor and those who had been with Fayt at the time of the final battle's end, Fayt Leingod's disappearing act astounded and alarmed Blair, so much so, it chilled her to her core, and it was the second thought that haunted Blair as much as not knowing Luther's whereabouts bothered her. From what she could tell, the young, blue-haired man somehow managed to rip some kind of a hole through space and time and distance when he left Luther's Workspace and the Spiral Tower. Where the embodiment of Destruction ended up, Blair could not say. At around the time he pulled off such a fantastical and unusual and alarming feat, every terminal and computer linked to the Eternal Sphere malfunctioned. It probably did not help his disappearance followed less than five minutes after Luther's equally alarming and unusual and fantastical vanishing act. Blair wanted answers. She wanted both men found so they could be kept safe from themselves and from those who would use them for whatever purposes. Luther was mentally unstable. Fayt also was mentally unstable, if the way he ran from the Workspace was any kind of an indication, and with the two of them running around loose in the Eternal Sphere . . . it meant disaster to Blair if either man or both men lost control of their emotions.

It was those two thoughts alone, the thoughts of either Luther or Fayt or both losing control and unleashing various amounts of destruction, that drove Blair into action. Her concerns for her brother and for Fayt really left her with very little in the course for actions. Until she learned how Luther managed to physically enter the Eternal Sphere, Blair could only settle for watching a screen, scanning and hoping to find some kind of hint as to where he was hiding. There was one other course of action left to her, and she had kept holding off, trying not to place such a heavy burden on the shoulders of Maria Traydor and her crew on The Diplo. Unfortunately, she felt like time was no longer on her side, and she could not afford to delay with requesting Maria's assistance. Her request for assistance would be monumental for Maria Traydor, and Blair expected the blue-haired woman to deny her. She brought her attention back to the activities playing out on the monitor.

From what she could gather, the meeting between Quark, the Pangalactic Federation, the Aldian Empire, and the Vendeeni Empire was not going quite so well. Blair leaned forward and turned up the volume so she would not misunderstand anything the representatives were saying.

 _"I don't think you understand, Ms Traydor,"_ the representative from Vendeen was saying. "This isn't up for negotiation. We want Fayt Leingod handed over to us. We know of his powers and what he's truly capable of doing. Do you think we have forgotten about the loss of our ship to his powers? I can guarantee you that we have not forgotten."

"And I don't think you understand what we're _saying,"_ Maria replied. _"We can't simply hand Fayt over to you. He isn't with us at this moment in time, and I doubt he'll be returning to us in the near future. I'm sure he's not forgotten the death of his father at the hands of Captain Biwig. Do you really think he'll willingly oblige you and simply turn himself over to your tender mercies?"_

 _"As I said, this is non-negotiable, Ms Traydor,"_ the Vendeeni delegate said. _"If you wish to avoid war, we require Fayt Leingod. We know he is hidden away somewhere. We're just not sure who is hiding him, if it is you and Quark or the Pangalactic Federation. I suggest that you hand him over as soon as you can."_

 _"And if we don't?"_ Maria prompted.

 _"Then we will not hesitate to attack every single Quark and Federation outpost we come across,"_ the Vendeeni delegate replied. _"The choice is yours. Hand Fayt Leingod over to us or suffer the consequences."_

"Oh dear," Blair murmured. "This is getting serious. Far too serious."

She watched as the meeting came to abrupt halt, and the delegates from the Pangalactic Federation, the Aldian Empire, and the Vendeeni Empire disappeared before the talks could escalate into violence. Their ships immediately left the vicinity of the planet Fendelvia, and Maria Traydor and her entourage of Cliff Fittir and Mirage Kaos returned to their ship, _The Diplo_. Blair typed in a few commands into her computer and listened as each of the commanding officers ordered their executive officers to start a search for the wayward Fayt Leingod. At the same time, she typed in the commands to allow a projection of herself to enter the Eternal Sphere, and she called Azazer, Belzeber, and Berial to the nearest Workspace. She needed to talk to Maria Traydor about finding Luther as well as Fayt, and she believed she discovered a way to not only convince the other woman to help her but to offer the Quark captain piece of mind about Fayt's safety. It seemed a little underhanded, something she would not normally do, but her time was running short. If her time was running short, then the Eternal Sphere's time was running short, and Blair knew Maria would understand once it was explained to her.

The moment Maria stepped onto the bridge of her ship, Blair typed in the final commands to open the lines of communication. With a bit of hope in her heart, she heard the one called Marietta say, "Captain, we have an incoming transmission. The source is unknown."

 _"Unknown?"_ Maria echoed. _"What do you mean unknown?"_

 _"I mean it isn't from our recently departed guests,"_ Marietta replied. Her eyes were wide with alarm as she spoke. _"It . . . it appears as if it's coming from . . . I don't know where it's coming from!"_

* * *

Min'nah was not a happy representative from Vendeen. She despised the fact she had been forced to speak with such technologically and intellectually inferior beings as she deemed anyone from the Pangalactic Federation, Quark, and Aldian to be. As far as she was concerned, the Vendeeni did not require the aid of others to rebuild their home world. They were more than capable of rebuilding their empire and their military strength to what they were before the Creator's attack. Indeed, they could surpass their previous accomplishments, if their scientists and architects and leaders set their minds to such tasks. She stormed to the bridge of the ship, displeasure radiating from her in large waves. Her fellow Vendeeni immediately cleared a path for her, well aware of what would happen to them should they not remove themselves from her presence.

However, despite her disdain for such lower creatures like the Aldians and humans, Min'nah understood why her leaders wanted her there for such an "important" meeting. The leaders of Vendeen wanted Fayt Leingod. They wanted to know how come he had been so receptive to the Destruction gene. They wanted their scientists to study the boy, to poke and prod at him to discover the reasons for the receptiveness to the gene and for the reasons why his powers exceeded beyond what anyone could have expected them to truly become. According to the data their first ship to enter Elicoor II's orbit sent before it simply vanished, Fayt Leingod's powers were immense, so much so that he could quite possibly destroy a planet with a single thought. They had started their analysis the moment his powers were triggered, and the data immediately transmitted itself back to the Vendeeni home world. Many of the Vendeeni scientists believed the data itself to be horrendously flawed and corrupted, however, and they required, demanded, the actual subject be brought to them for further study and analysis. They considered it to be no loss when the initial analysis of Fayt Leingod's powers was destroyed in the Creator's attack. Those were her leaders' reasons for her presence at the . . . conference with the Pangalactic Federation, the members of Quark, and the representatives from the Aldian Empire. They wanted Fayt Leingod, and they wanted the universe to know they still would stop at nothing to obtain the universe's greatest living weapon. When they were done with their studies, their poking and their prodding, and their analyses of Fayt Leingod, they would then terminate his life. In their estimation, Fayt Leingod was truly a threat to everything they held dear, and they wanted him dead. It would be the only way to fully restore balance to the universe.

As Min'nah stormed her way towards the bridge of , the conversation from the meeting entered her mind, and a few of the words spoken sparked the beginnings of an idea. A wicked smirk graced her features. She needed to tell the captain of her idea, and he would need to relay it to their leaders. It was a most promising idea, one guaranteed to work . . . providing they did not choose the most incompetent of their warriors to carry out the task. Even with the superior technology and intellect the Vendeeni possessed, there were still some who could botch even the best of plans. Biwig had been one such individual, but that was now the past. The Vendeeni needed to secure their future. All heads turned towards Min'nah as she stepped onto the bridge.

"They refused to meet our demands, didn't they?' the captain inquired in their aquatic tongue. Min'nah nodded then she shrugged her shoulders in indifference.

"They say they do not know where Fayt is hiding," Min'nah replied, taking her seat. "I do not believe them. I think they are hiding him until the moment is right for them to attack us. They have not forgotten the attack on Hyda IV, I am sure, and they most definitely have not forgotten how Professor Leingod died at the hands of Biwig."

"They say Biwig tried to kill his son, and Professor Leingod pushed his son out of harm's way," the captain said, his tone as light as air. "A battle ensued where Fayt Leingod participated, and it was Fayt who delivered the final and fatal blow to Biwig. Professor Leingod died not too long after, his son holding him in his arms. I do believe such a memory would forever burn itself into a young human male's mind."

"For a young human male, I am sure such a thing is quite the unforgivable sin," Min'nah said, keeping her tone as equally light as the captain's. "Just as I am sure the kidnapping of his mother would be the same."

"Ryoko Leingod?" the captain murmured. "We tried that once before, but we only managed to get our hands on her husband at the time."

"We were also able to capture the Esteed girl some time later," Min'nah said. "They were the perfect bait to lure Fayt Leingod to us."

"That they were," the captain conceded. "I believe I know where our conversation is going, and I do not believe it will work, Min'nah."

"And why is that?" Min'nah inquired. "You have not heard what my intentions truly are, my dear captain. How can you say my plan will not work when you have not heard all of the details?"

"Because we do not have the resources nor enough soldiers to launch an attack on Earth," the captain said. "That is where Ryoko Leingod is believed to be staying. Since the Creator's attack, the Pangalactic Federation has increased its patrols around the planet and many of its major outposts. We cannot afford to attack Earth. Not in our current state, anyway."

"Who said anything about _attacking_ Earth?" Min'nah said with mock innocence. She held her hands up in feigned shock. Then she let out a laugh. "Believe me, my dear captain, I have no intentions of suggesting an attack on Earth. It would be most suicidal when we do not possess the supplies nor the soldiers needed for such an endeavor."

"Then what are you suggesting?" he asked, his tone coy and curious. She definitely had his curiosity piqued, and he leaned forward to learn more.

"Well," she began, "we _do_ have a small ship capable of slipping by the Pangalactic Federation ships. The cloaking device on it is far superior than what any scientist or engineer from Earth or from Aldian could dream of ever designing. All we truly need is a small team to sneak by their defenses and retrieve Ryoko Leingod. I am certain when we have her in our possession, the Pangalactic Federation and Quark will realize we mean business, and they will bring Fayt Leingod out of hiding. At the same time we capture Ryoko Leingod, we search for Professor Leingod's research logs and bring them back to Vendeen as well. Then, once we have Fayt Leingod in our possession, we release Ryoko Leingod back to the Pangalactic Federation. Or terminate her as well. Either way, she really is of no use to us."

"So you are suggesting we kidnap Ryoko Leingod, but not using brute force," the captain murmured. He rubbed his chin as he mulled the idea over and then he nodded, seemingly satisfied with her idea. "A mission of stealth . . . I wonder why it was not thought of the first time we tried to capture the Leingods and their son. It certainly would have saved us a great deal of trouble. I am most certain we scoured every inch the entire galaxy searching for Fayt Leingod the last time we tried to obtain him."

"It did not help Quark interfered with our business. They were able to reach him before we could and learn of our plans to obtain the boy," Min'nah retorted, unable to disguise her disgust. No one in the Vendeeni Empire understood why Quark had become involved in the great search for Fayt Leingod, but then no one really cared, either. They only knew Quark had interfered with their business, and they did not intend to allow such an indiscretion to go unnoticed and unpunished. Already plans were in motion to eliminate the leaders of Quark one by one, starting with Maria Traydor and the crew on _The Diplo_. "It was mighty clever of them to hide the Leingod boy on that underdeveloped planet. However, what Quark does not know this time will not hurt us in the least. Do you not agree?"

"I do agree," the captain said, "and I believe our leaders will be interested to hear of your plans. They may not like it at first, but when they hear it is a mission of stealth and not military strength, I am sure they will agree it is a sound plan. What of the Esteeds? They assisted the Leingods in their research. What should we do about them?"

"It is a mission of stealth with a small team," Min'nah replied. "As much as it would benefit us to capture Professor Esteed and his family, it would also be detrimental to our plans of stealing Ryoko Leingod away from her home on Earth. I am sure the Leingod home will have some form of security to protect the remaining Leingod. The team will not be large enough to divide and try to take four people hostage. They would never make it back to Vendeeni space safely. We dare not chance it nor do we dare to become too greedy in our efforts to secure our possession of Fayt Leingod. For this moment in time, the Esteeds are inconsequential."

The captain turned around to face the screen, and he gave the orders to secure a connection to the Vendeeni home world. Min'nah leaned back in her chair as they waited for their leaders to answer their hail. She and the captain did not have to wait long, and the two of them explained as quickly as they could about her idea to sneak into Pangalactic Federation territory, specifically Earth, and capture Ryoko Leingod. They also explained why the Esteeds needed to be left out of their plans (for the moment, anyway), and then they were done talking. The leaders of the Vendeeni were silent afterwards, each one mulling over Min'nah's idea.

 _"I must say, we have tried this once before,"_ the first leader said, breaking the silence. _?"It did not work then when we tried to obtain the Leingod boy. We do not have any guarantees it will work this time, either."_

 _"We understand your concerns," Min'nah said. "Believe me, it is a concern of ours as well. However, we feel we do not have much choice in the matter. The leaders of Quark and the Pangalactic Federation are claiming they do not know where Fayt Leingod is hiding away."_

 _ _"That is such a blatant lie,"_ another leader quipped in, huffing in annoyance. _"I do not believe they do not know of his whereabouts. He is too important of a weapon for anyone to lose track of him in such an irresponsible manner."__

"We believe the same thing," the captain of _The Terminatus_ said. "That is why we have told Quark and the Pangalactic Federation of our plans to start attacking their outposts should they refuse to bring the boy to us. I am also agreeing with Representative Min'nah's plan of capturing Ryoko Leingod. Should the weapon learn of his mother's capture, he will be more than willing to come out of hiding in an effort to keep her from harm. They did remind Min'nah of Professor Leingod's death at the hands of Captain Biwig. It is almost assured the weapon has not forgotten his father's death, either. He will not want another family member's death hanging over his head like that. Humans are strange creatures that way."

 _"Perhaps they are strange that way. Perhaps they are not so strange from us,"_ the first leader said, his tone low and soft. _"Either way, we cannot afford for our plans to go awry. We need the weapon secured and soon. The moment he is terminated in front of the Time Gate, the better off our world will be. The Creator's wrath may be delayed, but we know this silence from his Executioners will not last for much longer. We will dispatch the team as quickly as possible. In the meantime, begin your search for Fayt Leingod. If he is found, we will release Ryoko Leingod back to her people, but Fayt_ must _be our top priority. Find him and bring him back to us. Our survival depends on it."_

* * *

"Blair," Azazer said. "I have the Vendeeni conversation recorded. It is as you feared. They are planning to enter Pangalactic Federation territory to kidnap Ryoko Leingod. Also, I've opened a line of communication to the Quark ship for you now. It's now stabilized."

Blair nodded to him, not failing to notice the hints of disgust laced in Azazer's tone. Since Luther's defeat and disappearance, he, Belzeber, and Berial were the least happy with Blair taking over Sphere 211 and carrying on her brother's work. After all, Luther's ideas were more than valid, in Blair's estimation. They were quite profitable for the company, enjoyable for the players, and they kept their positions as lead programmers, only losing certain access rights to the Eternal Sphere itself, once she and her original team stabilized the systems. If only the computers were still reliable for people to use . . . Blair shook her head of the thoughts and reminded herself the Eternal Sphere needed to be kept safe, and she required Belzeber, Berial, and Azazer to help stabilize communications with Maria Traydor. She stood up, her back straight, and walked to the monitor where Maria Traydor's image was displayed.

 _"Blair!"_ Maria exclaimed. _"This is a pleasant surprise! How have you been?"_

"Hello, Maria," Blair said with a nod. She kept her expression schooled. Now was not the time for happy reunions. "I wish I could say that I'm fine, but it would be a lie. I also wish I could say this is a social call, just to be sure everything is all right, but it isn't that, either. The truth of the matter is . . . I need your help."

 _"My help?"_ Maria echoed. _"What do you need my help for and why?"_

Blair inhaled a deep breath and tried to calm the butterflies (as they used to say) fluttering about in her stomach. So far, Maria sounded curious. It was a good sign, but it would not last once the words left her lips. She had cut straight to the point. Now was not the time to lose her nerve.

"I need your help looking for Luther," she began.

 _"Luther?"_ Maria interjected, blinking. _"You mean he isn't in the four-dimensional realm?"_

"No," she said, shaking her head. "He isn't anywhere in our world, and we've checked even the places he'd be least likely to visit. Our competitors don't even realize he's missing, which is a good thing for us, but it won't stay that way for long. I'm hoping we can find him somewhere in the Eternal Sphere."

 _"But you said he projected his likeness . . . I remember you saying to him what he was doing was dangerous,"_ Maria said. _"And you said with his likeness projected . . ."_

"I know," Blair agreed. "I know I said that because it's what I thought he'd done, and I didn't want to see him hurt. He _is_ my brother, and I do love him. However, Maria, I was wrong. Luther's likeness was _not_ projected into the Eternal Sphere. He really was there, fighting you. Somehow, he managed to break all of the rules he set forth for the Eternal Sphere, entered it to reach his Workspace where you fought, and now we can't find him. Please . . . can you help me?"

For several seconds, Maria said nothing, and her expression remained, neutral unreadable to Blair. She wanted to believe the younger woman would understand her position. Luther needed to be found, and he needed to be found quickly before he could harm himself or others. Given his mental instability, Blair feared even her worst case scenario wouldn't be anywhere near what her younger brother was truly capable of doing. It was also the reason she feared to use against Maria should the other woman refuse. Several long seconds of silence ensued, feeling to Blair as if it were going to last. As it continued, turning from seconds into minutes, her anxiety levels started to increase, and Blair felt as if she would vomit from waiting.

'Just breathe,' she told herself. 'Just breathe. She's going to refuse, and she'd be within her rights to do so. Luther _did_ try to destroy her, her friends, and her home. No one can blame her for hating him.'

While she didn't blame the blue-haired woman for hating Luther, which Blair was certain Maria did, it didn't stop the hurt. Luther was her brother, and she _did_ love him as only a sister could. She wanted him back so he could be helped with his mental break. Knowing he was out there, hurt, and knowing the refusal was coming also didn't make her anxiety go away. Finally, Maria broke her silence.

 _"Are you crazy?"_ Maria said with a soft hiss. Her green eyes glinted with her anger. _"You want us to search for_ Luther _? After everything he's done?"_

"No," Blair answered. "I'm not crazy. I'm very concerned about my brother and his well-being, Maria. I'm also very concerned about the Eternal Sphere and its inhabitants. Our competitors don't know that Luther's missing. They also don't realize that our servers are very touch-and-go at the moment. I'm sure the Eternal Sphere is doing just fine without our interference, but that still won't stop our competitors from trying to hack into the servers, especially should they find out that Luther _is_ missing. I know you've seen what our world is like, Maria, but you haven't _seen_ anything when it comes to our competitors. I want to keep the Eternal Sphere safe. Finding Luther is one of those ways I can accomplish that."

 _"No,"_ Maria said. She also shook her head and folded her arms across her chest. _"No. Absolutely not! I'm not looking for that maniac. I'm sorry, Blair. I know he's your brother and that you're concerned about him, but I need to keep my crew safe. Encountering Luther isn't the way to do that."_

Blair closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. From the moment Maria spoke, voicing her refusal, her anxiety increased. Her stomach felt like it was doing a hundred flips, and she wanted nothing more than to simply accept Maria's refusal and leave Luther be. Yet, Blair also knew she couldn't do that. Luther's life and the very existence of the Eternal Sphere depended upon him being found and returned to the four-dimensional realm, especially if he still wanted to destroy what he so meticulously had created. Blair opened her eyes, hating herself for what she was about to say next.

'It isn't like this is going to be one-sided,' she told herself. 'We'll be looking for Fayt as well as Luther and keeping Ryoko Leingod safe from the Vendeeni. They can't be allowed to sacrifice people to appease Luther when there's no appeasing, no negotiating with him.'

"You don't realize your danger yet, do you?" Azazer asked. Startled, Blair turned to face him. The security director had risen to his feet and now walked towards the monitor. "Your very world exists only because Luther, the Creator, _your_ Creator, deemed it to be so. He is the only one . . . the _only one_ who can access the mainframes for the Eternal Sphere whenever, and wherever, he wants, even within the Eternal Sphere itself. He can still destroy you."

 _"I'm sure,"_ Maria said, sneering at Azazer. _"Like it would be difficult to keep Luther out of the Eternal Sphere mainframe."_

"Actually," Berial said, interjecting himself into the conversation. Blair turned to see him also walking towards the monitor, "we _can't_ keep Luther from hacking into the Eternal Sphere mainframe."

 _"What?"_ Maria's voice sounded dead, flat, yet surprised as well.

"The Eternal Sphere," Berial said with the utmost and amazing patience. Blair never heard him sound so calm, so collected. When it came to the denizens of the Eternal Sphere, Berial usually wasn't quite so level-headed, "is Luther's penultimate creation. He possesses access codes, privileges, and superior network hacking capabilities. We can set up as many blocks as Blair tells us to, but it wouldn't be enough. Luther has a back door, and only he knows how to access it. If he so chooses, he can render us incapable of not only contacting you but stop us from helping you with _your_ little set of problems."

 _"He wouldn't be able to,"_ Maria started to say, but Berial cut her off.

"Yes," he said, "he would. Why do you think Sphere 211 is such a juggernaut in our world? Luther is not only a programming and creative _genius_ , but he's also a brilliant hacker. When he wanted to delay our rivals from launching their new games, he'd shut them down for days while we launched our new role-playing games to the public. They never, _ever_ caught on to how he was operating our company. It's my hope that they never do. In order for them to be in the dark, Luther _must_ be found. We know he isn't in our world. Our competitors' worlds are substandard, something he'd only mess with just to annoy them, and he has very little access to no access to their mainframes. He wouldn't be trapped in any of their programs because they're programs truly are programs. They're not like you or the Eternal Sphere. He _is_ in your world, and if he does get it in his head that the Eternal Sphere needs to be eliminated, you will not be able to stop him a second time. There _will_ be no saving you."

 _"Not unless we find Fayt,"_ Maria said. _"He's able to take on Luther."_

"Of course, he is," Azazer said. Blair listened in silence, still awestruck that Azazer and Berial were standing up for her cause _and_ for keeping the Eternal Sphere safe. "He's Luther's opposite in every possible way. We didn't want to believe it at first but . . ."

"But it's the only reason why we can think of for Fayt still being alive and in hiding," Berial concluded. "His life is interconnected with Luther's life somehow. If Luther were dead, truly dead, your friend would have dropped dead within seconds, and no one would have to worry about finding either of them."

Upon hearing this, shock washed over Blair, chilling her in the pit of her stomach. She wanted to vomit even more. She'd possessed no idea that Luther and Fayt were so intricately connected to each other.

"Maria," she began, finally finding her voice. Her throat and mouth felt unusually dry, and she tried to moisten them as best she could. "Maria, we don't intend to not return this enormous favor we're asking of you. We want to help you find Fayt and ensure his safety as well. I understand that Luther isn't the only threat in the Eternal Sphere. Truthfully, he may not even become a threat, but given his extreme behaviour when Professor Leingod and his team discovered our world, I don't want to take any chances. Please. Will you help us?"

 _"I think you should do it,"_ Cliff Fittir said. Blinking in surprise, Blair tilted her head so she could see the Klausian. He sat to Maria's right, leaning back in his chair and his arms folded across his chest. His blue eyes were closed, as if he were contemplating a great many things, which perhaps he was. Blair knew that Cliff, while exceptionally strong and a capable fighter, was also not an idiot. Quark wouldn't be in existence without him. Still, to hear him say they should help in the search for Luther baffled Blair. Maria, too, appeared stunned, and she turned to her fellow Quark member and friend.

 _"Cliff?"_

 _"Think about it, Maria,"_ he said, finally opening his eyes and rising to his feet. _"Not only would we be doing Blair a favour after all she's done for us, but we'd be helping ourselves. Luther's no pushover when it comes to fighting, and he_ is _as equally stubborn as Fayt when he gets riled up about something. We can make sure our world stays safe and that Luther stays safe. Plus, we could use the help in finding Fayt before anyone else does. I don't know about you, but I'd rather no one find him at all. He's been through hell, and I'm sure he's happy wherever he is right now. But you and I both know the old governments are not going to leave him alone. He's too much of a threat, thanks to his powers. We can use all the help we can get."_

 _"This is insane,"_ Maria muttered. She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. Then she let it out and turned back to face Blair, Azazer, and Berial. _"All right. We'll help you look for Luther. As much as I hate to admit, I don't want him running loose in our world and creating chaos. Too many worlds are still recovering from the Executioners, and we don't need any more headaches where Luther's concerned."_

 _"We can start on Elicoor II, Maria,"_ Cliff said. _"Maybe Fayt's managed to return there by now. He did like it there a lot."_

"We haven't detected Luther there, but Elicoor II was one of his favourite gaming spots. He's spent a lot of time there in the past. I thought for sure we'd have found him there," Blair said, her tone thoughtful, "but then again, he does still have access to the mainframes. He can hide his presence anywhere, if he wants."

 _"Could he do the same for Fayt?"_ Maria asked.

"It's possible," Azazer said with some reluctance.

"It would just depend on whether or not they're getting along," Berial concluded.

 _"All right,"_ Maria said. _"We'll start our search on Elicoor II. Maybe we'll find something we missed when Fayt first went missing. We'll start with Luther's Workspace and the Spiral Tower once we're there."_

"If you still have Aquaria's Sacred Orb, contact me when you reach Elicoor II."

 _"You won't be keeping an eye on us?"_

"No." Blair shook her head. "I mean, we can try, but if the servers go down, which they've been doing a lot lately, it may be some time before I can contact you. At least if you have the Orb, you can contact me. The communication will come directly to my desk and not overtax the system. Right now, everything's terribly unstable and unreliable. I don't know how the instability is affecting the Eternal Sphere. If everything goes . . . it may not bode well for anyone in your world."

 _"Still want to preserve us?"_ Maria asked, a slight smile on her face.

"Yes," Blair said, finally allowing herself to smile just a little. "I'm sure you don't need our help or interference any longer, but I'd still like to help in anyway that I can."

 _"We appreciate it, Blair. We really do,"_ Maria said. She looked as grateful as she sounded. _"We'll do our best to find Luther, and we'll contact you once we've reached Elicoor._ The Diplo _out."_

The screen shut off, and Blair exhaled heavily. She accomplished what she'd set out to do, and she felt a bit better for it. A part of her, though, still wanted to retch at how she had to go about accomplishing her goals. From behind her, she heard someone start to clap.

"Good job, Blair," Belzeber said, his tone one of mockery and condescension. "Have the infidels search for your wayward, insane brother. I like it. It's a good way to remind them that they're merely puppets for our amusement."

"I don't think they're puppets for our amusement," Blair said. From the corners of her eyes, she watched Berial and Azazer, and she watched them with a great wariness. Belzeber wanted to take over Sphere 211 and run it the way he saw fit, which wasn't fit at all. He cared about the money and prestige aspect, not the jobs created for the fortunate few, nor about the Eternal Sphere's inhabitants. The flamboyant man apparently decided now was the time for him to strike and reclaim what he believed was rightfully his, before Luther wowed Belzeber's father with his creative and intellectual genius. Blair found herself more concerned with where Berial and Azazer's loyalties lay, since the three of them had worked together with Luther to destroy parts of the Eternal Sphere gaming program. A door to the room slid open. "In fact, I find them to be highly intelligent people, our rivals in a sense."

"Oh please," the man said, snorting his derision. "Luther had it right in the first place. They're nothing more than pawns for us to use how we see fit. They're entertainment. They're data, a collection of zeroes and ones. Nothing more and nothing less. How can you believe otherwise, Blair?"

"Might I point out that, for being nothing more than data, those collections of zeroes and ones, as you've so eloquently put it, managed to put you, Berial, _and_ Azazer into the hospital." Blair folded her arms as she spoke, radiating confidence when she didn't quite feel it. "Not only did they put you three into the hospital, they managed to damage many of the guard robots and injure the security guards, something they _wouldn't_ have done if Luther hadn't threatened their existence in the first place."

"They just got lucky!" Belzeber snarled out, and, in the blink of an eye, pulled out a gun and aimed it directly at Blair. During the entire tirade, Berial and Azazer remained still and silent. "That's all it was! They got lucky! Nothing more, nothing less!"

"I don't think luck had anything to do with it," Blair said. "The fact that they knew how to fight, that they could use Symbology . . . and that they had something worth fighting for gave them the victory, Belzeber. Their intentions were far more honorable. It's more than what I can say about you."

"SHUT UP! You know nothing about honor! You and Luther both! This company is mine! _My_ family started it, not yours!" Belzeber screamed. "He had _no_ right to take it away from me! NO RIGHT AT ALL!"

"Sphere 211 is Luther's by _right_ ," Blair said. " _Your_ father felt it prudent to place Luther in charge when he stepped down as the original Owner. He wasn't the only ones who thought Luther was a better fit for the company. So long as he's still alive, it will always be his until his death or he steps down. While he's gone, I'm the one in charge, Belzeber."

"Heh," Belzeber said, smiling in a sickly sweet way. His finger started to press on the trigger. "We'll see about that."

'This is it,' Blair thought, her gaze never once leaving Belzeber. 'I've done what I can do. The rest . . . the rest is up to _them_.'

"Goodbye, Blair," Belzeber said. "It was nice working with you . . . while it lasted. I'll be sure to tell Luther the same thing when I see him again."

The sound of a shot being fired rang throughout the Workspace . . .

* * *

He floated.

Why he was floating or where, Luther couldn't say. He simply knew he was floating somewhere, drifting, and it felt . . . pleasant, nice . . . calm and relaxing. He hadn't felt this calm or relaxed in quite some time, not since those anomalies started to appear in the Eternal Sphere gaming program.

'The anomalies . . . how were they able to defeat me? They shouldn't have been able to defeat me,' he mused. 'Yet they did. How?'

An image of sapphire blue hair and forest green eyes entered his mind, the face of the data known as Fayt Leingod. From the moment he saw the young swordsman, Luther knew his danger. He wanted to deny what he felt, what he sensed, and that innate knowledge filling his mind, but it didn't stop the truth from rearing its head. Fayt Leingod _was_ his counterpart, through and through. Luther was the Creator; Fayt was the Destructor. He couldn't exist without Fayt, and Fayt couldn't exist without him. It was with them as it was for love and hate, war and peace, light and darkness . . . sadness and happiness.

'How ironic his name is Fayt,' Luther thought with a wry smile. 'For him to bring as much pain as he has to me . . .'

It wasn't just the pain Fayt managed to inflict on Luther personally. They were evenly matched. In a one-on-one fight, neither of them would win with pure physical and symbological strength alone. Luther believed it was because Fayt had help in the form of his friends that he had fallen in battle as he did.

'No . . . it wasn't because of them that he won,' Luther said. As he lay there – wait . . . lay there? Where was he? – his mind drifted to those final moments, to the look of sorrow and pain on Fayt's face, and to the pure white of angel wings sprouting from the young swordsman's back. 'He won because . . . why did he win? What was it that I was missing in those moments? There was something there, in his eyes, on his face . . . I know there was . . . _what was it?_ '

A burst of warmth alighted on Luther's face, the familiar feel of sunshine, and it broke into his thoughts with the silence and grace of an experienced thief. How long had it been since he'd felt sunshine? Luther sensed the dirt underneath him, the boring of stones, and the tickle of grass against his ears, nose, and cheeks. A light breeze picked up, brushing against his hair, caressing his face, and rustling the leaves on trees. On the breeze were the faint scents of daisies, roses, jasmine, and lavender. Yet his world remained dark.

'Why is it so dark?' he asked. 'I feel sunshine yet it's dark. That's not possible!'

He then waited for the darkness to pass, to leave him so he could enjoy the warmth of the sunshine on his face. It refused to leave him be, and his mind started to warp the blackness surrounding him. Shadowy tentacles reached for him, pawed at him, and tore at his clothing. Mixed with the darkness was an aura, an aura that suggested familiarity, power, and tainted heavily with sorrow, guilt, and self-loathing, and it was close by to where he lay. Luther knew that aura, had seen it, felt it somewhere before, and, out of panic, he reached for it. Why he panicked, he couldn't say other than he didn't want to be lost, alone and forever, in the invading darkness.

 _"Don't leave me!"_ he wanted to cry out. He imagined more than he felt his hands reaching for the aura. Despite the guilt, sorrow, and self-loathing coming from the other, there was salvation and safety with that person. The darkness kept grabbing at him, shoving shadows down his throat and into his nostrils yet the warmth of the sunshine, the feel of the breeze and the grass, and the fragrance of flowers never disappeared. He wanted those bright, beautiful things, and he wanted them bad. A heaviness settled over his chest, suffocating him.

'Open your eyes,' a little voice whispered with a sense of insistence and urgency. 'Hurry!'

'Open . . . my eyes?'

Curious by what the voice meant and still fighting his panic, Luther found himself obeying the simple set of instructions. He opened his eyes, willing the darkness away, shoving it away in the hopes of seeing bright light and white, luminescent wings.

At first, Luther could see nothing except a blinding glare of light. He winced and grimaced and grunted at the onslaught, and his eyes watered from the pain. Still, he didn't close his eyes against the offending light and pain. Rather, he raised a hand to shield his eyes and grit his teeth as he waited for them to adjust. When they did, Luther took note of his surroundings.

He lay at the edge of a forest filled with tall firs, pines, and oaks. There were other species of trees as well, but his mind refused to cooperate in identifying them. Grass, tall, green and lush to the touch, obscured his vision, as he lay on his back still, but Luther saw a bright, pale yellow ball of a sun overhead, heading for the trees. The faint outlines of a crescent moon and a half moon could be seen in the pure azure sky, and some clouds, white and fluffy, drifted by in a lazy manner. He lay incredibly still, just staring at the sky, the sun, clouds, and trees above him as well as the grass looming out of the corners of his eyes. Yet the feel of suffocation hadn't left. It continued to persist, much like the darkness had a few moments ago. Still panicking, Luther fought and wondered why he was suffocating when air was obvious attainable to him. The calm and relaxing feel of the floating had long since dissipated.

'I . . . am being defeated again . . . Why? What have I done. . . No . . . No . . . NO! I will _not_ be defeated again! Never, never, _never_!'

With determination flowing within him suddenly, unexpectedly, but not without welcome, Luther felt a portion of his strength returning to him, and he willed himself, forced himself to gasp for air . . .


	3. Chapter 2 - The Wills of the Gods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maria's conversation with Blair ends, and she hates the thought of returning to Elicoor II. Ryoko Leingod mourns the loss of her husband and the disappearance of her son. Fayt reminisces about his arrival to his new home and sets about his day. He believes it to be like the days before it. That notion is shattered when an injured man is brought to him by the guards. Albel Nox is restless. A high priest for the enemy is sent on a mission.

Once the overhead screen blanked out, Maria refrained from letting out an exhausted and heavy sigh. She really didn't want to be searching for Luther, not when the Vendeeni were threatening innocent lives over Fayt.

'It isn't something he wants,' she thought with anger, frustration, and sadness coursing through her. 'I know this. I heard him say it repeatedly. He never wanted people to be killed because of him. Why are they being so adamant on having him? What is it they plan to do with him? The threat from the Creator is _over_. Could he still be on Elicoor II and we just never knew it?'

Returning to Elicoor II wasn't something Maria relished. There were people there, one person in particular, who figured out that she had a crush on Fayt Leingod and that she wanted to make Fayt hers.

Albel Nox.

The thought of his name alone sent a shudder of revulsion over Maria, and the thought of asking him about anything related to Fayt (and now Luther) made her want to vomit and violently so at that. Albel never really had been kind to anyone, though Fayt and Mirage were slowly becoming the exceptions for the Glyphian swordsman. He never hid his disdain for most everyone in the team, especially her, Nel, and Sophia. Because he made it a point to be exceptionally cruel to most of the women, Maria thought Albel to be a misogynist. Her aggravation with him only heightened when he started to taunt her over her feelings towards Fayt. She knew he taunted her to get a rise out of her, to provoke her, and the horrible thing, in her mind, was it worked.

_"He will never be yours, fool,"_ Albel had said. He'd kept his voice low so the others wouldn't ever hear, something that mortified and relieved Maria. _"People like Fayt Leingod are untouchable for scum such as you and I. It'd be better for you and for him if you let him go now before he hates you entirely."_

_"Fayt would never hate me."_

_"So certain are you?"_ Remember the smirk on his face even now heated Maria's blood. _"Well, I'll admit he doesn't seem to hate anyone. In fact, he's quite forgiving. Too forgiving, if you ask me, but even he has a limit as to how much he can endure from me and from the rest of the world."_

_"You sound certain of yourself when in reality you don't know anything. You don't know Fayt, you don't know me, and you sure as hell don't know where things can lead."_

_"You're right about two things."_ The smirk on his face had grown. _"I don't know you, and I don't know where things can lead, but you're wrong about me knowing that pitiful fool Fayt. I know him better than what anyone could ever realize, and I know this. He_ will _come to hate you, the same way that I've come to hate you. There are some things you have no right telling someone."_

Maria scrubbed at her eyes as she willed the phantom conversation to leave her alone. Still, a part of her wondered if Fayt did truly hate her now and if that was why he left in the first place. She also wondered what it was that Albel knew about Fayt that she didn't know. Albel had joined the party after being an enemy. Maria only knew this because Nel and Cliff had informed her of what transpired before she located Cliff, Mirage, and Fayt on Elicoor. Why Fayt had chosen to forgive someone such as Albel Nox, whose nickname the Wicked was obviously well-deserved, baffled Maria. It didn't help matters any when both Nel and Albel chose to follow Fayt's lead over her, the same way Cliff and Mirage had.

She glanced at Cliff, the blond Klausian man working away at his console. He was more of a fighter than he was diplomat, yet he possessed enough smarts to start Quark and lead it successfully before she assumed the leadership role. Cliff had somehow managed to attain Big Brother status with Fayt, much like he had with her when he first found her. She knew Cliff wanted to find Fayt and to help protect Fayt from those who would use him and abuse him. There were no doubts in her mind over Cliff's feelings towards Fayt. Fayt had become the younger brother Cliff actually liked to hang around with and let loose, something he couldn't say about his siblings back on his home world. No one could deny Fayt possessed a rather easy-going, if somewhat serious manner about him, and he befriended just about everyone who came into contact with him, including Albel the Wicked.

Still, when Cliff suggested that they return to Elicoor II, Maria felt it had just as much to do with reuniting with Nel Zelpher as it did with finding Fayt and Luther. The two of them were considerably close, closer than what Maria initially suspected. During the course of their travels on Elicoor, Maria had caught Cliff and Nel sneaking off to somewhere a little more secluded more than once. When she approached Fayt on what the two were doing in those moments in an effort to confirm her suspicions, the young man simply shrugged his shoulders and said it wasn't his place to say. Of course, Albel had stood right next to Fayt when she asked about Cliff and Nel's activities, and he'd smirked the entire time, as if _he_ knew what they were doing and that it should have been obvious to everyone else.

'He wants to hook up with her again,' Maria mused. 'Not that I blame him. I know he and Mirage are close, but they act more like a brother and sister than two potential lovers. I just hope his desires to get back with Nel don't hinder his ability to do his work. I wonder if we should investigate another planet first before heading to Elicoor so I can talk to Cliff about his relationship with Nel. They can't be together.'

"Maria . . ."

She blinked when she heard Lieber's voice speaking low and quietly, and her heart almost leapt out of her chest. Maria turned her head to see her lover standing to her right, a concerned expression on his face. She'd become so involved in her thoughts and memories that she hadn't noticed him walking up to her. He held a clear clipboard in his hands.

'I hope he isn't going to ask about us sneaking back to our quarters,' she thought. 'I can't afford that distraction right now. Not with so many things needing to be done.'

And there were many things to be done. Before heading to Elicoor II or any other planet to search for the missing Creator and the wayward Fayt Leingod, _The Diplo_ needed to stop at the next outpost to at least stock up on supplies. Replicators were great for space travel, but even they needed some raw materials to keep functioning. She also needed to consider arming everyone onboard the ship in case they found Luther before they found Fayt, and she wanted to talk to Steeg and Lancaster about somehow neutralizing Luther's powers in the event they did find him. She didn't hold out much hope on being successful where Luther was concerned, but she intended to at least try.

'What did I get myself into?'

"Yes, Lieber?" she asked.

"Are you sure we should be heading back to Elicoor II?" he asked. He knelt next to her. "Fayt wasn't anywhere on the planet's surface when we left there six months ago. We even checked underground locations where he could have hidden himself away. I know because we looked for him at your request. We know his D.N.A. and personal energy signatures. They didn't appear anywhere."

"We're hoping that maybe we'll get lucky and somehow Fayt's managed to return there," Maria replied. "We're not even sure how he was able to leave Elicoor II in the first place. But Fayt isn't the entire reason why we're returning there. Blair said Elicoor II was one of Luther's favourite places in our world. It's possible he's in hiding among the populace there."

"And how will we find _him_ exactly?" Lieber frowned as he spoke. "Are we sure this isn't an excuse for Cliff to hook up with his Elicoorian girlfriend again?"

"I would say don't be stupid, that Cliff wouldn't be so foolish," Maria said, sighing, "but the thought did enter my mind as well. I'm sure he misses her, and I can't fault him for who he fell in love with. However, Cliff isn't entirely wrong about possibly finding Fayt on Elicoor II. I saw it for myself, how quickly he adapted to that way of life and how attached he became to the people he met along the way. I wouldn't blame him for leaving to keep everyone safe while at the same time I wouldn't be surprised if he had found a way to disguise himself so no one would recognize him. Hiding on an under-developed planet would actually be a very smart thing for Fayt to do."

"At the same time it would be foolish, Maria," Lieber replied. "If the Vendeeni find him first . . ."

"We'll make sure it doesn't happen. _We'll_ find him first, and we'll let him know of the ultimatum from Vendeen. Perhaps he can help us think of a way to alleviate any fears the Vendeen might have and help us keep a universal war from breaking out."

"And if we find Luther first? I remember what you said about that final battle with him."

"I honestly don't know," Maria said. "I have no idea of how to even plan for such a confrontation. It's possible Luther wasn't exactly in his right mind when we fought him, and he was quite the formidable and difficult enemy to combat. With Luther . . ." She sighed and shook her head. "With Luther, we're just going to have to wait and see. Given where he hid his Workspace in our world, it wouldn't surprise me if we found him on Elicoor as well as Fayt. Odd how both Luther and Fayt seem to be so attached to that world . . ."

Maria let her thoughts trail off, and she leaned forward in her seat. The overhead monitor displayed only the vastness of space. Even in gravitic warp, it would take a week, perhaps longer, to reach Elicoor II, and the nearest outpost resided twelve hours in Elicoor's direction. As much as she wanted to leave Luther wherever he was, she knew that she couldn't leave him to run amok in her world, the world she fought so hard to protect. She promised Blair she'd help search, and Maria Traydor was not one to go back on her promises or to tell someone a lie.

"Marietta . . ."

"Yes, Captain?"

"Set our course for Elicoor II with a stop at the Quark Outpost. Since we're going to do this, we're going to be prepared. Let them know we're on our way and that we'll need weapons and ammunition in addition to the essentials like food and bottled water. Any maintenance to _The Diplo_ needs to be done then."

"Roger that, Captain."

As she listened to the sounds of her orders being carried out, Maria felt the faintest of flutterings in her heart. She was finally returning to the place where it had begun and ended, and she knew she'd be seeing Fayt once again. She wanted him as much as she wanted Lieber, and she felt her fantasies about Professor Leingod's son could finally come true. Lieber remained an obstacle, in a sense due to his dislike of Fayt, but Maria also knew she couldn't live without knowing, without saying something to Fayt and learning how he truly felt about her.

'He'll understand . . . I don't want to lose Lieber, and I won't lose him, either. But I can't live without knowing about Fayt. I want him to be mine as much as Lieber is mine. I can at least explain it to him before we reach Elicoor. I know he'll understand. After all, he took a chance in approaching me . . .'

Maria tilted her head, knowing Lieber still stood beside her. She knew he always would, though it _did_ baffle her on occasion, his devotion to her. A light smile touched her lips.

"Lieber, I think I'll take a break before we reach the outpost . . ." She lowered her voice. "I'd like for you to join me . . ."

* * *

There were days when all Ryoko Leingod wanted to do was curl up in bed with a bottle of strong, red wine, a box of chocolates, and rifle through the collection of home videos she and Robert had created over the years or stare at photo albums of her family. There weren't very many of the home videos of her small family of three, just those of rare family vacations and holiday gatherings, but there were many videos the nannies, her best friend Kyoko Esteed, and other family members had filmed of Fayt when she and Robert couldn't be home. She also owned the many interviews she and Robert had given over the years as well as the recordings of Fayt when he participated in school sports.

Ryoko exhaled a shaky sigh, tears spilling down her cheeks, and she wiped them away to keep her vision from blurring. Next to her sat a photo, a photo she constantly stared at whenever she was alone. It was of her, Robert, and Fayt when her little boy had turned five years of age, and it'd been framed in silver vines and roses – a gift from Fayt. They'd taken him to Virginia Beach for the day since they'd been unable to take more than two days off for their son's birthday, but she and Robert had wanted the day to be special as well for their little boy. Therefore, it'd only been the three of them celebrating, and they'd been fortunate enough to find someone more than willing to take a picture of the three of them together. While it had been an attempt at a posed family outing picture, it'd turned into more of a candid picture. Even at five years of age, Fayt had become a bundle of energy. She and Robert had tried to balance him between them and kept reminding him to be still long enough for the picture to be taken.

Sitting still for a scant five seconds had proven difficult for her only child. At the last possible second, as the camera snapped the photo, Fayt had tossed his arms into the air and bounced on their shoulders. His position between them had been precarious enough, but when he unexpectedly bounced and cried out, "Yay!", he'd started to fall backwards. Ryoko still recalled how she thought her heart would stop beating in those seconds when she and Robert both grabbed their son to keep him from hitting the ground. He'd been so happy that day to have them home and all to himself that she and Robert hadn't the heart to scold him for scaring them so. They'd laughed when he claimed he wanted to do it again, and, with a smile, the stranger handed them their camera. It'd been such a perfect day, and she lamented the fact she and Robert hadn't spent much time with Fayt as a child. Perhaps she'd have more happy memories and no regrets.

'I can never get those days back,' she thought. A small whimper escaped her as she stared at the picture. 'We wanted Fayt so badly, and we kept trying and trying until he came along. But we never had much time for him . . . why? Why did it have to be this way?'

Regrets and sadness were all that were left to Ryoko. She didn't recall the young officer's name – she'd been too numb in her heart and soul at the time – but she never forgot the words he told her.

_"Ma'am, it's about your husband . . . according to Commodore Whitcomb's report, your husband, Professor Leingod, is dead. It's said it was a Vendeen attack on an under-developed planet . . . He died protecting your son."_

It felt as if someone had reached into her and grabbed her by the heart, crushing it in a vice grip. Robert . . . dead . . .

_"What of Fayt? Where . . ."_

_"The last we knew, ma'am, he was with Commodore Whitcomb on The Aquaelie and they were heading for a planet called Styx. I'm sorry to say . . . we lost communication with them as well . . ."_

The following days and weeks were agonizing for Ryoko. Like so many others on the Federation outpost and across the universe, no one knew the fate of her son or those traveling with him. The number of the Executioners remained the same, and she wondered if it was truly the end. Her death, she knew she could deal with and accept. Her son's death after losing her husband . . . it was simply unbearable, and she wanted to die with each day that remained silent.

Then it happened. The Executioners, in the time it took to blink, were gone. Rumour started to spread that the Creator had been defeated and by the hands of none other than her own son. While many worlds were either destroyed or very heavily damaged, people started to breathe easier and to celebrate. Parties were thrown at the Federation outpost, but she didn't have the heart to join the festivities. She still keenly felt the loss of her husband, and something else inside her told her something else was terribly wrong. She would feel better once she saw Fayt again and could hold him in her arms, to be sure he'd survived and that he was safe. Ryoko kept her gaze to the stars.

Several days later, rumours proved to be true in the form of a Quark vessel called _The Diplo_ , and Ryoko learned more the moment she talked to Sophia and Quark's leader, Maria Traydor. Fayt still lived, though he hadn't returned with them after the final battle. In fact, in the moments after the Creator's defeat, Fayt had somehow managed to pull the greatest disappearing act of all time, and no one knew how or why, even.

'I can't blame him for disappearing like that . . . he saw Robert gunned down in front of him in an effort to protect him . . . he saw so many people die that didn't need to . . . that shouldn't have died in the first place . . . I just wish I knew if he was safe . . . There's so much that I want and need to tell him . . . I want him to know how much I love him and miss him . . . and that if I could've spent more time with him when he was a child, I would have done so in a heartbeat. He really was our miracle baby.'

Most days, since Robert's death and Fayt's disappearance, Ryoko could muddle through and survive. She kept her mind occupied with continuing her husband's research into Symbological Genetics and with attending charity events for displaced and homeless people as well as orphaned children. The planets that survived the direct attacks from the Creator were still in the process of finding bodies and reconnecting loved ones, though they _were_ finding less dead bodies. They were also talking of rebuilding, the triumph of the "human spirit", as it were. Knowing loss and feeling it keenly every single day drove Ryoko to great lengths to provide others with homes and with closure.

Some days, however, such as this day, Ryoko wanted nothing more than to drown her sorrows in _something_. She wanted to go back before the vacation to Hyda, to spend more time with her husband and her son before they were torn from her so violently. Such days the tears, the demands, the heartache, the happiness, and the fear overwhelmed her, and she needed to be by herself. Ryoko lifted the picture and shuffled towards her kitchen, with a single pause to kiss the images of her son and husband. There, she kept her much desired box of chocolates – the kind Robert bought her for their anniversary, her birthday, and Valentine's Day – and strong, red wine for days such as this.

'I know you wouldn't want me to grieve like this, Robert, but I can't help it . . . I miss you and Fayt so much . . . I never thought either of you would be taken away from me like this . . . if only I knew how Fayt was doing, maybe . . . just maybe I could bear these days a little better and this house wouldn't feel so big . . .'

Her home . . . indeed, most of her neighbourhood . . . had sustained very little damage in wake of the Creator's attacks. Ryoko knew she should attempt to find a new place to live, something smaller and more suited for a single person, but her heart kept her in her home. It was the only place she and Robert had looked at when they were looking to buy a place to live. Memories walked along the halls with her – the day they moved in, which had been shortly after their honeymoon, the day they learned they'd finally conceived a child, when they first brought Fayt home, his first steps . . . everything that had happened, the good and the bad, were contained within those walls, and Ryoko didn't want to leave any of it behind.

'Besides, if and when Fayt comes home and I've gone, what will he think? Will he think I've abandoned him? Would anyone even tell him I found a new place? Would he look for me, fearing he lost me the way he lost Robert? I can't do it . . . I can't leave here. This is _home_ , this is _my_ home. This is where I belong.'

For Ryoko, the thought of her son never returning home or never contacting her again were impossibilities. They were all they had left of their family. All children returned home at some point or another, and whatever pain he endured, she wanted to be there to help him and to guide him through whatever difficulties he faced. Wherever he was, he still hurt from his experiences. Ryoko knew it as sure as she felt herself breathing.

'He needs to know . . . it's okay to cry . . . I wonder if anyone let him be so he could grieve his father's loss . . . that had to be as hard on him as it has been on me. Oh, my dear child . . . wherever you are, please . . . please be safe . . . and know that I love you so much . . . and it's okay . . . it's okay to cry . . . to mourn . . . if you don't, you'll lose yourself . . . just don't let it consume you . . .'

Ryoko exhaled another heavy sigh as the lights turned on in her kitchen. It was advice she knew she needed to follow a little more often than what she did. She just didn't want her grief to overwhelm her.

'Maybe I should see a grief counselor . . . this drinking of wine and eating of chocolates can't be too healthy for me . . .'

She'd just pulled down a wine glass and opened the wine to pour it when the door chimes activated. Closing her eyes for a moment, Ryoko willed the person to leave her be. Today was her day to mourn and to drown herself in guilt, wine, and chocolates. Then she opened her eyes and stared at the glass.

'If I don't answer and it's Kyoko, she'll worry . . . the least I can do is alleviate any fears she might have . . . I'm not going to kill myself . . . I can't do that . . . not to Fayt . . . he's lost as much as I have in this . . . maybe even lost more than what I can imagine . . .'

She cleaned her face off quickly then strode to the front door as the chimes activated again.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," she said under her breath as she reached the door. "The world isn't going to end if I don't answer right away."

The monitor next to the door lit up, showing a young woman and two men. Ryoko frowned a little when she saw them.

'I don't recognize these people . . .'

"Mrs. Leingod," the woman called out. "I know you don't know who I am, but I need for you to trust me. I have very little time to get you to safety so please . . . open your door. Timing is very crucial."

"Who . . . who are you?" Ryoko asked. Her eyes widened with alarm, and she took a step back from her door. "And how do you know who I am?"

"I'm a friend of your son . . . Fayt," the woman answered. "Please . . . I need for you to trust me the way he trusted me . . . the last thing I want is for him to experience more tragedy . . ."

"Fayt!" Ryoko hit the button to open the door as quickly as she could. Her heart leapt about in her chest with fear and excitement, hoping this woman, this stranger had news for her about her wayward son. "Where is he? Is he all right? Please tell me he's all right!"

"I can't say that he is. I wish I could tell you more, but I'm afraid that I don't know where he's at," the woman said in a solemn voice. "But please know that I'm going to do everything that I can to help find him and keep him safe. Right now, though, you're my main concern. Please . . . come with me before it's too late . . ."

* * *

They weren't his eyes, Fayt decided, nor was it his reflection at which he stared.

At least, they weren't the same eyes he was accustomed to seeing in the mirror. He didn't even look like how he remembered himself. His hair was longer, touching his shoulders, and he often pulled it into a low tail to keep it from obscuring his vision. Lines creased the skin around his eyes, and the green of them was no longer vibrant or filled with excitement, anticipation, and life. The skin under his eyes had darkened, another indication of how much his life had changed. Such circles were the results of many nightmare-ridden nights where he closed his eyes for a few hours only to be reawakened by some horrific event from his past.

Fayt exhaled and averted his gaze from the mirror. Time had passed for him, but he'd not kept track of how much. With only the exception of the phases of the planet's two moons and the appearance of storms every few days, each day blended with the other in a hazed blur. The sun rose and the sun set, and each day he struggled with his guilt for all of the pain he inadvertently caused on Hyda IV and Elicoor II, and the nightmares plaguing his sleep.

Fayt had no one with whom he could speak to about his troubles nor did he dare find someone to talk to, knowing he was an offworlder. He figured he was one of no more than twenty humans living in the city of Kalinestria, though there were possibly more out in the countryside and across the planet of Iris VII. Thanks to his translator and quad scanner, he managed to blend in with the rest of the populace, to learn a few things of interest, but he'd also taken it upon himself to actually learn to speak and write the common native language surrounding him. He wanted a distraction from his problems, and he wanted to destroy the quad scanner and translator as quickly as he possibly could. Learning what he could, however, provided him with only a temporary distraction from the nightmares and memories, but it couldn't protect him from them when he finally closed his eyes for a few hours of rest. The nightmares that had plagued him after escaping the dungeons in Airyglyph were a constant source of agony for him. When he closed his eyes, the events distorted and magnified themselves, clouding his mind with darkness and robbing him of his will to live. He kept to himself as much as possible as a result, speaking only to those who required his attention as a healer, those he needed with whom he needed to conduct his business, and occasionally with the local fighting contingent. Fayt didn't wish to share his burdens with others nor did he dare take the chance. The inhabitants of Iris VII, due to their lack of technology, knew very little of the Executions reigning havoc or the Creator's attack on the universe. They knew very little of the worlds that lay beyond their world's atmosphere or of the myriad of races that filled it. They lived their lives oblivious to the wonders and perils the universe had to offer. Fayt wanted to keep it that way so he told no one of the troubles he'd lived through or of the battles he'd fought . . . or of the people who'd died because he simply happened to be there. The world of Iris would be better off.

For the most part, Fayt lived a quiet life or at least as quiet of a life as he possibly could, creating potions, herb bags, balms and poultices for the local population, including the garrison stationed in the city. He didn't want any extra attention on him. The last thing he wanted was for anyone to be hurt because of him, and he desired peace above all else. Once again, though, upon his arrival to Iris VII, or Iris, as the locals simply called their home world, Fayt found himself in the middle of a war zone. The battles had not yet reached the city of Kalinestria, but he knew a war raged all the same. Soldiers clad in glimmering chain mail roamed the streets, swords at their sides, quivers on their backs, and spears in their hands. Their metal boots often could be heard before the soldiers themselves were seen, each Elf walking with his or her back straight, shoulders squared, and a wary eye out for trouble. From what he understood and had seen upon his arrival to Kalinestria, the ruler of the city, and indeed, throughout the countryside, possessed a tower that stood above all of the other buildings. It loomed over the walls built to protect the city from attack, and it was how the local sentries knew of Fayt's arrival. They believed him to be from another part of the world, where the fighting had become the fiercest, not from a different planet completely. According to the one sentry, a smoky cloud of black and violet appeared, obscuring their views of the forest for several long seconds. Two of the local sentries were dispatched immediately, to scout the area and send a signal, just in case. When it dissipated, he lay next to a tree, and they initially feared a surprise assault from their enemies. Fayt remembered the conversation he'd had with the two who had found him.

_"In a way,"_ the Elf had said, as they'd ridden back to the safety of the fortress walls, _"I'd hoped for a fight. It was why I'd rushed out with my partner as quickly as I did. The moment I saw you, I believed you to be bait, and I'd intended to end your life."_

_"So why didn't you?"_ he'd asked.

_"Because you are the only one who arrived from that smoke,"_ came the reply. _"Our king will wish to speak with you. Make no mistake, Fayt. Even though you are alone, you could still bring harm to this city, and you will not be greeted with open arms until we can be assured you are no threat. I did not fail to notice the sword you carry at your side. I am sure from the sorrow that follows you that you seek nothing more than refuge, but the way you have arrived to our lands cannot be ignored. Do not take it personally. As I said before, war brews within these lands, and we cannot be too trusting of every stranger who appears."_

_"I understand . . ."_

They had ridden in silence from that point, and he'd tried his hardest to keep his gaze upon his hands. His curiosity, however, won him over several times, and he'd often lifted his head to see a long and stalwart wall of dark grey approaching closer and fast. Fayt had half-expected to be thrown into a dungeon the moment they passed through the city's gates. It was what had happened to him and Cliff after stepping out of _The Eagle_ in the capital city of Airyglyph. A lump had formed in his throat as he remembered his torture at the hands of the Inquisitor, his breathing quickened as the fear started to set in, and he'd fought back a shudder of revulsion. His mind had raced as he remembered every crack of the whip as it tore into his flesh, the relentless intensity in which the Inquisitor employed his task, the taste of his blood in his mouth, and the smell of dirt mixed with human waste after they tossed his unconscious body into the dungeon. Then there was the dark side to the Inquisitor, the one that always left Fayt ill, no matter how hard he tried to push the memories away or bury them in the recesses of his mind.

So wrapped up in his thoughts he'd become, Fayt had failed to notice his two captors had come to a stop and were ready to dismount . . . until the one he rode with touched him on the shoulder. Already in a state of panic, he'd fallen from the beast in an effort to get away from the Elf, bewildered and terrified out of his mind.

_'Foolish! I faced the Creator and won . . . I shouldn't be this scared!'_

_"Easy, Fayt . . ."_ The man had stared at him, concerned and baffled by his reaction. He'd held a hand out to him. _"We are here."_

With reluctance and a sickness in his stomach, Fayt had taken the offered hand. He'd stumbled a few times after rising to his feet as they led him into the palace, a modest construct of smooth, grey stone and what he surmised to be strong timber.

The rest of the walk into the palace remained a blur in Fayt's mind. There were stairs. That much he did recall. However, his terror at his new situation had continued to overwhelm him, nauseating him at his own pathetic weakness. He'd kept telling himself he'd faced worse than a king and survived.

_"Your Majesty . . ."_

His two escorts had stopped walking and knelt in front of a dais with four long and wide steps. Fayt, too, had found himself in a kneeling position, his arms wrapped around his abdomen. He'd wished to be somewhere, anywhere, else than in front of a king whose kingdom was in a state of turmoil.

_"Is this the one who appeared at the edge of the royal forest?"_

A light tenor had spoken, and Fayt flinched as if someone had struck him.

_"Yes, your Majesty."_

_"He is human . . ."_

_"Yes, your Majesty, he is . . ."_

_"He seeks refuge, I am sure . . ."_

_"Like so many others . . ."_

The sound of clothing rustling had caught his attention, and Fayt had finally allowed himself a chance to glance at the man who the two Elves called king.

He stood as tall as the two who'd found him and brought him back to the city, the king. Fayt had expected to see a face as pale as the full moon on a starless night. Most royalty liked to stay out of the sun . . . King Arzei of Airyglyph had been an exception to that rule, but his palace rested against a mountain.

The face that had greeted him was not as pale as the full moon on a starless night. Rather, it had held the appearance of being kissed by the sun yet ageless. The king himself towered over Fayt, perhaps due to his kneeling position, but still undoubtedly stood taller than he, and his hair, long and golden, rested in a low tail on his left shoulder. Green eyes gazed at him with hints of mistrust and sympathy. A thick band of burnished gold and adorned with runic script and a solitary diamond in the center rested upon the Elven king's head. Much like his two escorts, the man standing before him wore a dark green tunic, dark brown pants, and soft, brown leather boots up to his knees. Other than the crown, Fayt would never have known the Elf towering over him was king.

_"What is your name?"_ the king had asked, kneeling so his eyes could gaze into Fayt's, his tone gentler than it had been scant seconds before.

_"Fayt . . ."_ A whisper had been all he could manage at that point. His memories refused to rest, causing him to shake.

_"And why have you come here, Fayt? From where do you come?"_

Fayt had lowered his gaze. A lie needed to be told since he'd known next to nothing about the planet. In his current state, he'd not trusted himself to speak.

_"I . . . I don't know why I've come here,"_ he'd finally managed to utter. _"I don't even know how I got here . . ."_

_"I see . . ."_

The room had fallen silent at that point, so much so, Fayt had heard the light breeze against unseen trees. He'd closed his eyes, waiting for the sentence he knew would come. A sigh had then escaped the king.

_"There is much troubling you, Fayt. Worries and fears that keep you from speaking. That much I can tell."_ He'd sighed yet again. _"Still, it is too much of the same story in these days. No one wishes to say where from they've come or why they've left, other than they are seeking refuge. Our enemies are great, always trying to find new ways to sabotage my army. I want to say that you are one such person and should toss you into the dungeon for your silence yet in looking at you, I do feel pity for you and for what you've endured. I've yet to meet a human who could truly feign as much fear in my presence as you are. Snow, Fai, please rise. I have made my decision."_

_"Yes, your Majesty."_

Fayt had heard them as they moved. Their hands slid under his arms, and they'd brought him to his feet as well.

_"Fayt, please look at me . . ."_

Shaking, Fayt had obeyed. He'd heard the kindness and pity in the king's voice, but his mind had refused to acknowledge the fact the one before him could quite possibly grant him leniency. The king had reached out a hand, touching his cheek and wiping away something from his face.

_"I am not sentencing you to the dungeons, Fayt. For some reason, my heart tells me it would not be wise, not with you in this condition. However, I also cannot find it in me to trust you completely. Your intentions for being here remain unclear. To that end, I ask a demonstration of you."_

_"A . . . demonstration?"_

_"Yes."_ The king had nodded. _"A demonstration. I can tell from the sword you carry that you are a warrior of some kind. Perhaps you could show me how well you can wield it."_

Fayt's eyes had widened. In those moments, he'd discovered the last thing he wanted to do was fight anyone. The last several weeks of his life had been filled with fighting and death. Without hesitation, he shook his head.

_"No."_

_"No?"_ The king had raised an eyebrow at him. _"This isn't a polite request, Fayt. This is what you must do in order to prove yourself to me."_

_"No . . . I won't do it,"_ he'd said. Fear and panic laced his voice, and he'd wanted to run as far away as he could. _"I won't do it. I'd rather you throw me in the dungeons than ask me to fight you. I don't want to do it anymore . . ."_

_"I see . . ."_ the king had murmured. Fayt had idly wondered why no one had said his name but his mind had focused more on the torment in the dungeons he felt certain he'd receive. The king then nodded his head, a slight smile appearing on his lips. _"It heartens me to know you're not interested in fighting, Fayt. Still, I simply cannot allow you to roam about the town as you please. I still require a service from you . . ."_

_"I can heal,"_ Fayt had blurted out. He'd felt desperate to do anything other than fight. _"I know how to work with medicines."_

_"Is that so? That is good news then indeed. We are in short supply of healers . . ."_

Those words had kept him out of the battles and the dungeons. Since he worked best with herbs and compounding all items into potions, Fayt remained in the city and operated his personal apothecary shop and house of healing, as it were. At first, he hadn't been allowed to work alone. The king, whom Fayt would later learn was named Avalon Silverleaf, insisted that the palace and city guards watch over him in shifts, to which Fayt had no objections. The only thing he truly had to hide from the king and the rest of Iris's inhabitants was from where he truly hailed. He wasn't out to harm anyone on the planet. Using the knowledge he gained from both his studies on Earth and from working with compounders on Elicoor II, Fayt felt determined to make some kind of a difference in the lives of those suffering on Iris. He knew he was overcompensating when it came to the potions, ointments, and balms he created, but his guilt over causing the deaths of Dion Landers, Ameena Leffeld, and his father wouldn't allow for him to rest. His mother also entered his mind, another person who added to his guilt. Fayt didn't even know if she still lived or if she'd perished in the attacks by the Executioners.

The sound of a metal jar falling to the floor startled Fayt out of his reverie, and he whirled around, blinking in surprise. Calm, pale green eyes stared at him as if he were the silliest thing to ever walk on two legs, and the three-tailed cat he'd adopted sat, tails swishing. Sighing in relief and shaking his head, he reached over and scratched the cat, a silver-colored and scrawny creature with dark grey stripes along its body, behind the ears.

"Good morning to you, too, Myuria," he murmured. The feline purred in response, pushing her head into his hand. Fayt couldn't resist smiling. At least the cat held very low expectations of him and didn't mind if he held dark secrets to himself. She simply asked to receive attention when and where she wanted it, food and water in her bowls, and a sunny place to curl up and sleep. Fayt envied her the simplicity of her life. "I'm sure you slept well."

After a few moments of ear scratching, which helped to ease the darkness of his thoughts slightly, Fayt picked up the jar and started the process of donning his armor. While the fighting had yet to read Kalinestria, protection was fast becoming a requirement for many of the merchants who lived within the city's walls, especially healers, herbalists, and apothecaries. Several had claimed to be attacked in recent weeks, and the claims, backed by the numerous injuries and occasional death, led to a widespread panic. Those who couldn't defend themselves hired mercenaries and free-lance fighters to protect them while those with more physical strength, like Fayt, bought armor and weapons. With a sigh of disgust, he attached his sword to his back. Myuria watched him with the mild interest only a cat could possess.

"Well," he said, reaching over one final time to scratch her head, "another day begins. I wonder how many patients the guards will have for me."

She simply meowed in response and leapt off of the shelf as he exited the room. Before leaving his home, Fayt checked her bowls – she ate better than he did – then he left for the day, locking the door and activating his home protection charms as a precaution.

The sun had yet to crest in the horizon as Fayt walked along the cobblestone street to his shop, but the path was still crowded as the city started to come to life. A pair of guards walked on either side of the street, their eyes observing as much as possible, while shopkeepers, bakers, and grocers prepared their shops for the influx of customers. Those who glanced at him nodded or waved a friendly hello, but they carried on about their business as usual. The overall feel of the day promised to be warm and bright, so much so as to offer the false sense of security that a war was not being fought. Fayt, however, refused to believe such a pretty little lie. He'd seen the devastation of war. He knew it could come and without warning. Keeping his gaze focused on the path ahead of him, he continued on his way until he finally reached the building where he conducted his business.

It wasn't much to look at, his little house of healing. A simple, two-story building with faded white paint on brown stone and curtained windows, those passing by it wouldn't recognize it as an herb shop and house of healing. Only the sign above the door indicated the building's true purpose. It was how Fayt liked it. While he often was inundated with patients, from young children simply scraping their knees to the guards bringing him the gravely injured no one else could take in, the simplicity of the building kept him from becoming too arrogant in his skills. It was true that he often succeeded in saving the lives of many of King Avalon's soldiers, but there were still some who died in his care. Some wounds he couldn't heal, despite his knowledge of medicines and his ability to use basic healing symbology. Still, Fayt tried, and his efforts, according to the ones he did speak to on occasion, were appreciated.

A wave of cool air greeted Fayt as he stepped into the dimly-lit room where he sold herbs, potions, ointments and balms to the general populace. With a war taking place, Fayt had decided, much to his chagrin, to keep his place opened all hours of the day. It helped a few of those who fled the countryside to the city seeking refuge and a livelihood. King Avalon offered a small compensation for those entering Kalinestria everyday, but the funds only lasted for so long and were meant for the refugees to find suitable, replacement work. In addition to the injured and the sick, those who desired to work would enter through the doors of his small establishment, and Fayt would have to decide if he could, or would, accept additional help. Such as how it had been since he started his little establishment. This day promised to be no different. An Elvish girl in her early twenties lifted her head as he entered. Arelia was her name, and there were several scrolls and books on the counter in front of her. Behind her were shelves filled with a variety of books, jars, vials, and pouches. Everything in the front part of the store dealt with healing. In the back were the rooms where the ill and injured rested. She offered him a light yet grim smile.

"Greetings, Master Fayt," she said. Arelia started the process of rolling the parchment and closing the books to return back to the texts Fayt offered for those interested in becoming healers. To Fayt's hearing, she sounded weary.

"Greetings, Arelia," he replied back. "How was it last night?"

"Quiet, mostly," Arelia answered, stifling a yawn. "Everyone is still with us, and all of the patients slept in peace. You're here early again."

"That's good. I'm very glad to hear that," Fayt said, relief in his heart and in his mind for his patients. Many of them suffered from life-threatening wounds. "And it's my prerogative to be here early."

"I know . . . Fortunately for us, the guards haven't brought anyone new . . . I'd heard the fighting has lessened . . ."

"There are always lulls in the fighting," Fayt murmured. "It unfortunately never ends until a compromise can be reached or if one side is defeated."

"That is what some of the older folk have said," Arelia said, her tone thoughtful. She returned her reading materials back to their proper places. Once she finished, she looked at him. "Do you think the fighting will ever stop?"

Fayt hesitated. Wars often ended after one side defeated the other or both decided to come to some sort of compromise. Rumors spoke of the fighting's intensity so neither side seemed prepared to give in to the other. The amount of the wounded treated in places like Fayt's testified to that intensity, and that was only for Kalinestria. There were other major cities in King Avalon's realm, all of which housed soldiers, healers, and civilians. In the time Fayt spent in the city, he'd seen how beautiful and lush gardens grew. The fighting had destroyed crops, but there was still plenty of food and clean water in the city. Whatever the opposing army truly wanted with King Avalon's realm, Fayt saw plenty of reasons to desire possession of the lands. He let out a heavy sigh, and the first wave of his exhaustion washed over him. His weariness added to the vow of the day being long and tiring.

"Master Fayt?"

"I think the fighting will end someday," he murmured. "It often does . . . it's just a matter of who ultimately loses in the end."

"That doesn't sound very cheerful," Arelia said.

"War isn't a cheerful prospect," Fayt said. He let out another sigh.

"Are you all right, Master Fayt? You look more tired than usual today . . ."

"I'll be all right," Fayt said, offering her a faint smile. He stepped behind the counter and pulled out an empty pouch. Several gold coins went into it before it found its way into Arelia's hands. "Go on. You're tired. I'll see you tonight, okay?"

"If you are certain . . ."

"I am . . . Go . . . Get some rest."

"As you wish, Master Fayt," the Elvish woman said, bowing. Money in one hand, walking stick in the other and daggers at her side, she left the building, closing the door behind her. Others would soon enter as well, young Elvish men and women hired to tend to the wounded and the sick so the ones in the rooms could return to their homes and rest as well. Fayt intended to have their pay ready for them before they retired for the day. It was going to be no different than any other day.

In the middle of counting the coins, the sound of shouting reached Fayt's hearing. Frowning, he hid the money and rose to his feet. He'd just stepped out from behind the counter when the door flew open, and two guards entered. They were wide-eyed, breathless, and more than a little alarmed. In their hands were the handles for a litter. Fayt's heart sank when he saw the head of an injured person, and the other two guards in the rear holding up the rest of the makeshift gurney. Labored breathing from the man on the stretcher punctuated the uncomfortable silence.

"Can I help you?" he asked. Immediately, both guards straightened and bowed.

"Forgive us for the intrusion, Master Fayt," the first guard said. "But there is someone who requires immediate medical attention. You were the first one we thought of . . ."

"All right . . . How bad is it?"

"We're not sure . . . he was found at the edge of the royal forest . . . the same place as you, according to the soldiers who found him . . . Please . . . we need to get him inside and report to King Avalon. There is darkness afoot, Master Fayt. We cannot delay."

"Of course . . . bring him this way . . ." Fayt motioned for them to head into the back area where the other patients were resting. Each patient had his or her own room in which to recover. It allowed for them to rest easier at night without a neighbor who might be in severe pain interrupting his or her rest. It also allowed for Fayt to check on them individually to determine the rate of healing and how soon the person could leave, either to return to the battlefield or tending the fields. There was at least one empty room, the last patient to leave a man recovering from illness. The first guard nodded, and they carried the injured person with as much as haste as they could muster without doing further harm. He started to follow until he saw the face of the man they'd just brought to him. Clear, icy yet pain-filled blue eyes stared in fevered shock at him with the same amount of shock as Fayt felt, and his heart started to plummet in his chest. Fear, cold and cruel, grabbed at his breath, and he wanted to drop to his knees.

'It can't be . . .'

* * *

Overhead, the sun shone bright, warm, and inviting. The light touched everything as far as the eye could see and beyond. Insects buzzed, birds flitted from flowers and trees, and wild lums grazed in a field not too far from the Kirlsa Training Facility. It was a typical day on Elicoor II, and it bored Albel out of his mind. Most of his planet's inhabitants weren't aware of the threat that had faced them several months prior. Though they had seen what the Creator's Executioners could do, for the blasted creatures had followed their master to Elicoor as he'd fled his own world to this one, only a select few truly knew the truth about _why_ such monstrosities had come to their world. Many still believed it was because of the peace made between Aquaria and Airyglyph, despite the fact they'd been proven wrong once Luther had been defeated and peace remained with no further demonstrations of wrath. The Executioners had disappeared upon Luther's defeat, leaving things as they were before the fight to save the universe had begun.

Albel stood upon the ledge of the facility's outer wall and gazed at the familiar terrain surrounding him. A warm breeze picked up, brushing against his face, tugging on his hair and clothing, and he inhaled a deep breath, taking in the fresh, clean air. Life since Luther's defeat had returned to normal, and he, the undisputed best swordsman in all of Airyglyph and co-champion of the universe, was undoubtedly, inarguably _bored_.

In the hours and days following their victory over Luther, the first thing anyone had thought to do was search for Fayt. That had been at Maria's insistence, to which Albel scoffed and still did. It wasn't because he didn't care about Fayt. Truth of the matter was he did care about the younger man. He didn't care for Maria. She'd tried to take over, to compensate for the lack of leadership in Fayt's absence, but she wasn't the same kind of leader as Fayt. She couldn't read people in the same way, and she certainly hadn't figured out the troubles haunting the one she wanted in her bed. Albel knew of things that his leader, his _true_ leader, had endured that Fayt believed to be secret. He tried to hide the feelings of guilt and sorrow, of filth and revulsion eating away at him, but Albel had noticed them for what they were in the days, hours, and seconds they started to consume Fayt, especially in the moments after Luther's defeat.

Albel grunted in annoyance as he turned around and leapt down from the wall. He'd wanted to keep Fayt with him for a little while longer than the time they'd truly had to be together, even though he knew the younger man wasn't someone he could possess forever. He wanted to pretend that he could, but Fayt was too pure, too innocent, and too _powerful_ for a lowly worm such as himself to hold forever. Albel had sensed as much the moment he saw Fayt standing with the Aquarian women in Shelby's botched attempt to recapture him and that buffoon Cliff Fittir. The battle in which his second had been defeated had been fought on the stones he now walked across, the same place where Robert Leingod died to protect his son. Albel paused in the spot where the old man had uttered his last words and stared.

For the most part, Albel didn't have much respect for those who were soft and couldn't fight their own battles. The researchers Aquaria employed to create their runological weapons were especially weak and pathetic in Albel's mind, since very few of them had ever left the palace to fight the battles they had so desperately wanted to end. To learn that Robert Leingod had been like those researchers and witnessing how he'd still gone out of his way to save his son from death assured, well, Albel felt more respect for the deceased man for his actions than he did most others who still lived. In a small way, it reminded him of his father's sacrifice, and it had helped to forge a bond with the blue-haired teen in later days. He stared at the spot where Robert Leingod died (in his son's arms, no less – Albel tried his best to kill the urge to destroy something for how similar it rang to his own ordeal), nodded his head to the memory, and stalked towards the door.

Albel wanted _something_ , something he couldn't name, he couldn't identify . . . it was a strange sense of yearning, and he believed it had something to do with Fayt. They did, after all, have unfinished business between them to settle before Albel found himself a suitable woman to wed and bear him children. He was the last of his bloodline, and he felt more than obligated to see to it that the Nox name remained alive for at least one more generation. He wanted to see Fayt one last time, to hold the younger man in his arms for one more night, but to do that, Fayt needed to be found. When it was clear Fayt wasn't anywhere on Elicoor – the fools on board the celestial ship claimed to have scanned every inch of the planet for Fayt's unique D.N.A. signature – Albel wanted to join Quark. If Fayt wasn't on the planet, then he had to be on another planet, perhaps even in 4-D space somewhere, and Albel wanted to be a part of the team searching for him.

That hadn't happened. While Fayt had led the group to fight the Creator, the fools aboard _The Diplo_ saw Maria as their leader, especially that air-headed moronic worm Lieber, and Maria refused to break something called the UP3 any further than what it had. Fayt had been a firm believer in it, she'd said. Just ask Cliff.

'Right,' he snorted to himself. 'Like I would deign to ask that fool anything.'

Still, he couldn't press the issue on traveling with Quark to find Fayt. With Maria seen as and treated like their leader, threatening her wouldn't have gotten him anywhere. Like those Vendeeni creatures, Quark carried what they called guns. Cliff and Mirage were the only ones he saw never using such weapons to fight their enemies. Albel remembered wanting to wipe the slight smirk off of Maria's face for succeeding in thwarting him in what he wanted.

Since the day those fools left, life had returned to normal, which Albel found tedious and beyond mind-numbing. He trained every day, honing his skills with the Crimson Scourge, sometimes in Crosell's domain, but most of the time at the training facility. Both places afforded him the chance to be alone but not the opportunity to spar with someone worthy enough for him to test his skills. Too many of his subordinates still feared him, and Albel half-fancied they believed he'd be angered if they tried too hard to beat him. They were fools for thinking such things, if they were thinking such things. Since Fayt had entered his life and actually _challenged_ him in a fight, Albel discovered he liked it. Then again, he liked and respected Fayt. The younger man wasn't a pushover, like those who served under his command. It was refreshing, and Albel wanted it back.

'Of course, I'm stuck here to rot,' he thought, his mood dark. 'Does she think she's the only one who truly cares about that blue-haired fool? There are others who want to know that he's all right.'

Foul was his mood as he stepped into the elevator. He wanted to kill something, anything, but he knew the moment he left the training facility, the monsters would flee without even attempting to fight him. He'd simply have to take his frustrations out on the sparring dummies left behind from the war . . . the ones that could be patched together anyway.

Upon exiting the lift, Albel paused, and his hand reached for the Crimson Scourge. The only ones who remained in the facility were the old crone and her daughter who prepared the meals. The remaining members of the Black Brigade had been re-stationed to the cities of Kirlsa, the copper mines, and the city of Airyglyph, to help supplement the Storm and Dragon Brigades and the losses they'd all suffered in the Vendeeni attacks. He knew that, aside from the crone and her daughter, he should be alone in the facility. His fingers slid around the hilt.

"Who goes there?" he called out, his eyes narrowed and a scowl upon his face. From the shadows a figure emerged, her gait all too familiar to him. His scowl deepened.

"What is that you want, scum?" Albel snarled. Nel smirked a little as she stopped walking.

"It's good to see you, too, Albel," she replied. "I see you haven't changed much."

"Bah," he said. "I don't need to change. Not for the likes of you, anyway. What is it that you want?"

"It isn't what I want," Nel said. She stepped to one side. "It's what they want."

As she moved and spoke, four more people appeared from out of the shadows. Albel fought back a hiss and refused to relinquish the grip on his blade. For as much as he was displeased to see them, only two seemed to echo the sentiment towards him.

"Hello, Albel," Maria said. She inhaled a deep breath, grimaced, and said the words Albel thought he'd never hear come from her mouth. "We need your help."

* * *

Light grey smoke from the incense cones curled about the air in a lazy fashion and filled the room with the heady, intoxicating scent of dragon's blood. Three torches lit the darkness of the stone room, and a set of stairs led to an altar with a bronze statue. The statue itself depicted a tall man, or at least he appeared to be man who towered over lesser men had he been constructed to stand instead of sit lotus-style, and he was slender, his ribs sticking out from his flesh, a short crop of hair on his head. A sword rested across the statue man's lap, his hands resting on the blade and hilt.

With a small, bronze bowl containing wine in one hand and two sprigs of an herb referred to as bloodbane, a man clad in dark brown leather pants, leather straps crisscrossing over his chest and back, and heavy-soled black leather boots strode with confidence towards the altar. Upon his head rested a thick leather band that braided into his stringy, long, black hair. At his side, he carried a set of daggers that he used when in battle. Like most on Iris, he was an Elf, and he was a high priest, not only for the city in which he worshipped but his entire kingdom. The items he held in his hand – the wine and the bloodbane – were his daily offerings to his deity, the Elvish God of War, Lukano, so that his country would succeed in her war against the inferior country of Golvaria, governed by Avalon Silverleaf. At the same his beloved country fought against Golvarian soldiers, Lukano waged a war as well. Those who lived in Golvaria worshipped an inferior deity to Lukano, and the God of War wanted their army annihilated and the people enslaved and ordered to serve Lukano. Because of the war, he entered the sacred temple every day to pray for such a complete and absolute victory.

The war itself started nearly two years prior when the statue of Lukano came to life, escaped from the temple, and ordered it to be in the center of the city for all to see. Since that day, the statue had come to life one other time to give him instruction on what needed to be done next. He complied with the orders, and his country, for the most part, enjoyed victory after victory against King Avalon's armies.

That was, they enjoyed their victories until several months ago when something had changed. The high priest didn't know what had happened, but the advantages had become less and less with each passing day and week. In what felt like an overnight shift, King Avalon's healing magicks strengthened and surpassed anything the high priest had ever seen before that. Those who should have died didn't, and they returned to their posts with renewed vigor, reinforcing King Avalon's ranks. It baffled him to say the least, and he now wanted to appeal to Lukano to change the tides back into his kingdom's favor.

When he finished with the ritual – burning the bloodbane on Lukano's sword and offering the deity the finest of wines – the priest rose to his feet. As he descended from the altar, he noticed another man standing in the door. The silk shirt and pants, the red velvet cloak and soft leather shoes, and the ruby-encrusted crown which loomed an extra two feet over a person told him who his visitor was. The scowl on the man's face indicated his displeasure.

"High Priest Saulron," he said. Saulron bowed to him.

"King Seltan," he intoned, respectful and curious. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"My impatience," the king retorted. "I had intended to summon you to the palace, but this is a matter of importance. I am sure you are aware that my counterpart has somehow unearthed some kind of miracle healer . . ."

"I have heard the rumors, yes, my liege," Saulron said.

"I am certain they are more than just rumors," Seltan said with a growl. "What has Lukano to say about such a thing?"

"He has not come to life."

"I thought as much . . ." Seltan shook his head. "And those I've sent to root out this miracle healer have proven to be more than just useless."

"And what does that have to do with me?" Saulron thought he knew what his liege was about to ask him, but he knew better than to try and guess Seltan's thoughts and moods. They were as fickle as smoke in the air and easy to change in the time it took to blink.

"You mean you can't guess?" Seltan scoffed then shook his head. "You are to head to Kalinestria and find this miracle healer. Once you do, watch him, learn what it is he's doing and report back to me before you kill him. Take away Avalon's advantage so that we might finally achieve our victory over his kingdom."

"It will be as you wish," Saulron said, bowing again. He didn't question Seltan's orders. Those who did often met with a rather nasty fate, and it wasn't in Saulron's nature to question someone like Seltan in any situation. His king wasn't like their previous one, content to sit on the throne and stuffing his belly until he'd become so fat his own legs wouldn't support him. Seltan, while cruel, was also shrewd and capable. Saulron trusted that his king knew what he was doing. Seltan nodded.

"You will leave immediately then . . . I have a morna with supplies waiting for you outside. Kalla will watch over the temple while you are away. Do not disappoint me, Saulron. Though you are high priest, I will not hesitate to end your life for failing me and Lukano."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bloodbane - an herb with a dozen tiny red blossoms used in prayer rituals, teas, wines, and flower-weaving  
> morna - a horse-like creature with long, floppy ears, two long-haired tails, and a horse's disposition


End file.
